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STANLEY  JOHNSON 

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/^yPAn^ 


rv\ 


THE  LIFE  AND  DEATH 

OF 

KING  JOHN 


THE    WORKS 

OF 

SHAKESPEARE 

THE  LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF 

KING  JOHN 

EDITED  BY 

IVOR    B.    JOHN 


? 


INDIANAPOLIS 
THE   BOBBS-MERRILL   CO. 
PUBLISHERS 


First  Published  in  1907 


SRLF 
URL   , 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Introduction vii 

The  Life  and  Death  of  King  John  i 

Appendix 147 


INTRODUCTION 

The  reign  of  King  John  seems  to  have  had  considerable 
attraction  for  English  dramatic  writers.  Some  time  before 
1563,  and  probably  not  earlier  than  1548,  John  Bale, 
Bishop  of  Ossory  (b.  149S,  d.  1563),  had  seized  upon  the 
subject  as  a  weapon  with  which  to  attack  the  Papists. 
While  still  preserving  the  form  and  methods  of  the  Moral- 
ity play,  the  zealous  bishop  introduced  into  his  Kynge 
Johan  a  certain  amount  of  the  historical  element;  for  we 
find  King  John  represented  as  the  champion  of  Protes- 
tantism endeavouring  to  aid  "  Ynglond "  in  shaking  off  the 
chains  of  Papacy.  For  this  he  is  excommunicated  and 
the  country  is  laid  under  an  interdict,  while  invasion  is 
threatened  by  the  French,  Spaniards  and  Northmen  in  aid 
of  the  Papal  cause.  To  save  his  country  from  these 
accumulated  horrors  John  submits  to  the  Pope,  but  is 
poisoned  by  "  Dyssymulacyon,"  otherwise  "  Simon  of  Swin- 
sett,"  and  dies  a  Protestant  martyr. 

With  the  exception  of  the  King  the  characters  of  this 
play  are  little  better  than  the  personified  abstractions  of 
the  Morality,  who  occupy  their  time  in  religious  and  pol- 
itical discussions  while  the  action  is  at  a  standstill.  Dra- 
matic propriety  of  any  kind  is  entirely  wanting  throughout. 

Though  ineffably  tedious  to  read  at  the  present  day, 


viii  INTRODUCTION 

this  production  is  interesting  from  at  least  two  points  of 
view.  In  the  first  place  it  is  a  point  of  fusion  between 
the  Morality  and  the  Historical  play.  In  the  second 
place  it  is  very  kind  to  the  memory  of  "Johan"  and 
exalts  him  into  a  hero,  saint  and  martyr: — 

This  noble  Kynge  Johan,  as  a  faythfull  Moyses 
Withstode  proude  Pharo  for  hys  pore  Israel,  (lines  1 106-7). 

He  takes  part  with  ■  Englandes  ryghtfull  herytage " — 
for  Bale  carefully  avoids  any  mention  of  Arthur — and  is 
made  to  declare  that  his  enemies  have  ever  hated  him 
11  for  doynge  justice  "  {line  2125).  The  panegyric  pronounced 
by  "  Veryte "  best  explains  the  author's  attitude  towards 
his  "hero." 

I  assure  ye,  fryndes,  lete  men  wryte  what  they  wyll, 
Kynge  Johan  was  a  man  both  valiaunt  and  godlye 
What  though  Polydorus  reporteth  hym  very  yll 
At  the  suggestyons  of  the  malicyouse  clergye, 
Thynke  you  a  Romane  with  the  Romans  can  not  lye  ? 
Yes ;   therfore,  Leylonde,  out  of  thy  slumbre  awake, 
And  wytnesse  a  trewthe  for  thyne  owne  contrayes  sake,1 

For  his  valiauntnesse  many  excellent  writers  make, 
As  Sigebertus,  Vincentius,  and  also  Nauclerus ; 
Geraldus  and  Mathu  Parys  with  hys  noble  vertues  take ; 
Yea,  Paulus  Phrigio,  Johan  Major,  and  Hector  Boethius, 
Nothynge  is  allowed  in  hys  lyfe  of  Polydorus, 
Which  discommendeth  hys  ponyshmentes  for  trayterye, 
Advauncynge  very  sore  hygh  treason  in  the  clergye. 

Of  hys  godlynesse  thus  muche  report  wyll  I : 
Gracyouse  provysyon  for  sore,  sycke,  halte  and  lame 
He  made  in  hys  tyme,  both  in  toune  and  cytie, 
Grauntynge  great  lyberties,  for  mayntenance  of  the  same, 
By  markettes  and  fayers  in  places  of  notable  name ; 

^ote  the  "liaison"  between  the  last  rhyme  of  one  stanza  and  the 
first  rhyme  of  the  next. 


INTRODUCTION  ix 

Great  monymentes  are  in  Yppeswych,  Donwych,  and  Berye, 
Whych  noteth  hym  to  be  a  man  of  notable  mercye; 

The  cytie  of  London,  through  his  mere  graunt  and  premye, 
Was  first  privyliged  to  have  both  mayor  and  shrive, 
Where  before  hys  tyme  it  had  but  baylyves  onlye ; 
In  hys  dayes  the  Brydge,  the  cytizens  ded  contryve, 
Though  he  now  be  dead,  hys  noble  actes  are  alyve. 
His  zele  is  declared,  as  towchinge  Christes  religyon, 
In  that  he  exyled  the  Jewes  out  of  thys  regyon. 

The  good  bishop's  idea  of  John  is  as  faulty  as  his 
idea  of  poetry  and  verse ;  his  bias  is  due  chiefly  to  his 
hatred  of  Catholicism  which  appears  continually  in  such 
passages  as — 

K.   J.   .   .   .   thou  menyst  the  Pope. 

Ynglond.     I  mean  none  other  but  hym,  God  geve  hym  a  rope ! 

{Kynge  Johan,  i.  75.) 

Kynge  Johan  lay  in  manuscript  until  printed  by  Collier 
for  the  Camden  Society  in  1838.  If  acted  at  all,  it  seems 
to  have  left  no  trace  behind,  for  in  1 591  there  was 
"  Imprmted  at  London  for  Sampson  Clarke,  to  be  solde 
at  his  shop,  on  the  backe-side  of  the  Royall  Exchange," 
a  play  entitled  The  Troublesome  Raigne  of  John  King  of 
England,  with  the  discoverie  of  King  Richard  Cordelions 
Base  Sonne  {vulgarly  named,  The  Bastard  Fawconbridge) : 
also  the  death  of  King  John  at  Swinstead  Abbey.  As  it 
was  {sundry  times')  publikely  acted  by  the  Queenes  Majesties 
Players,  in  the  honourable  citie  of  London ;  and  in  this 
play  the  influence  of  Kynge  Johan  is  nowhere  visible. 
The  Troublesome  Raigne  was  divided  into  two  parts,  the 
second  being  entitled  The  Second  part  of  the  troublesome 
Raigne   of   King  John,   conteining  the   death    of  Arthur 


x  INTRODUCTION 

Plantaginet,  the  landing  of  Lewes,  and  the  poysning  of 
King  John  at  Swinstead  Abbey,  and  it  was  probably 
written  about  1589;  but  this  is  only  conjecture,  for  we 
have  no  definite  evidence  on  the  point.  Another  edition, 
"  Imprinted  by  Valentine  Sims  for  John  Helme,"  appeared 
in  161 1,  claiming  to  have  been  "written  by  W.  Sh.," 
while  a  third  edition  of  1622  shamelessly  asserts  itself 
to  have  been  "written  by  W.  Shakespeare." 

No  one  who  compares  the  Troublesome  Raigne  with 
King  John  can  for  a  moment  entertain  the  idea  that  the 
former  is  a  "first  draft"  of  the  latter.1  If  any  argument 
of  disproof  were  needed  it  would  be  sufficient  to  point 
out,  as  Mr.  Rose  has  done,  that  no  writer  could  possibly 
recast  his  own  work  in  such  a  manner  as  to  remodel 
every  line  but  four.  The  explanation  of  the  claim  on  the 
title-pages  of  the  later  editions  of  the  Troublesome  Raigne 
is  quite  simple;  it  was  a  deliberate  attempt  to  make  the 
public  believe  that  the  play  for  sale  was  the  King  John 
of  Shakespeare,  of  which  no  Quarto  seems  to  have  ap- 
peared. King  John  had  been  performed  before  1 598  {vide 
infra),  and  so  a  wily  publisher  might  easily  gull  the 
public  in  1611  and  1622  into  the  belief  that  the  Trouble- 
some Raigne  was  the  Shakespearian  play. 

Tieck  clung  to  the  belief  that  Shakespeare  wrote  the 
Troublesome  Raigne,  maintaining  not  only  that  every  line 
of  it  bears  the  impress  of  Shakespeare's  hand  but  that  it 
is  superior  to  King  John  !     Pope  says  that  it  was  written 

1  Since  the  above  was  written  Prof.  Courthope's  volume  dealing  with 
King  John  has  appeared,  in  which  the  Troublesome  Raigne  is  given  to 
Shakespeare.  I  still  fail  to  see  that  there  is  the  slightest  justification 
for  this. 


INTRODUCTION  xi 

"by  W.  Shakespeare  and  W.  Rowley,"  and  Farmer,  who 
believes  Rowley  to  have  been  the  author,  thinks  that  there 
must  have  been  a  tradition  to  that  effect  in  Pope's  time. 
Malone  attributed  the  earlier  play  to  Peele  or  Greene, 
while  Fleay  sees  in  it  the  joint  work  of  Peele,  Greene, 
and  Lodge. 

Marlowe's  name  has  also  been  suggested,  but  the 
character  of  the  play  as  a  whole  does  not  encourage 
belief  in  Marlowe's  authorship.  We  may  say,  however, 
that  no  one  but  an  admirer  or  pupil  of  Marlowe's  could 
have  produced  Faulconbridge's  soliloquy : — 

What  winde  of  honour  blowes  this  furie  forth  ? 

Or  whence  proecde  (sic  procede)  these  fumes  of  Majestie  ? 

Me  thinkes  I  heare  a  hollow  Eccho  sound, 

That  Philip  is  the  Sonne  unto  a  King : 

The  whistling  leaves  upon  the  trembling  trees, 

Whistle  in  consort  I  am  Richard's  Sonne : — 

The  bubling  murmur  of  the  water's  fall, 

Records  Phillipus  Regius  filius  : 

Birds  in  their  flight  make  musicke  with  their  wings, 

Filling  the  ayre  with  glorie  of  my  birth ; 

Birds,  bubbles,  leaves,  and  mountains,  Eccho,  all 

Ring  in  mine  eares,  that  I  am  Richard's  Sonne. 

(Troublesome  Raigne,  lines  263-274.) 

The  address   to   the   Gentlemen    Readers  of  the   Play 

bears  out  this  supposition,  for  they  are  addressed  as — 

You  that  with  friendly  grace  of  smoothed  brow 
Have  entertained  the  Scythian  Tamburlaine. 

But,  in  fine,  we  can  only  guess  at  the  authorship  of  the 
Troublesome  Raigne,  and  there  is  little  to  guide  or  check 
our  guesses. 

The  early  play  has,  of  course,  to  bear  comparison  with 
Shakespeare's  recast  of  it,  and  therefore  appears  at  a  great 


xii  INTRODUCTION 

disadvantage.  But,  taken  on  its  merits,  it  is  by  no  means 
an  utterly  poor  piece  of  work.  In  structure  and  in  its 
sequence  of  events  it  fully  satisfied  Shakespeare ;  for  the 
differences  between  the  two  versions  in  these  respects  are 
few  and  comparatively  unimportant 

The  Troublesome  Raigne  is  3081  lines  in  length.  King 
John  has  2715  lines;  therefore,  on  the  whole,  Shakespeare 
has  shortened  his  original.  When  we  compare  the  first  and 
second  parts  of  the  Troublesome  Raigne  with  the  corre- 
sponding parts  of  King  John,  we  find  that  the  1822  lines 
of  the  first  part  of  the  Troublesome  Raigne  have  been 
expanded  by  Shakespeare  into  1987  in  King  John, 
while  the  1259  of  the  Troublesome  Raigne,  Part  II.,  have 
been  compressed  into  728  in  King  John.  A  glance  at 
the  dramatic  content  of  each  part  reveals  at  once  the 
reason  for  this  difference  of  treatment  Part  I.  of  the 
Raigne  contains  much  more  of  the  action  than  Part  II. 
It  ends  with  Hubert's  setting  out  to  inform  the  nobles 
that  Arthur  still  lives,  leaving  little  more  than  the  deaths 
of  Arthur  and  John  to  be  dealt  with  in  the  second  part. 
Therefore  what  Shakespeare  did  was  to  expand  the  more 
vigorous  Part. I.,  and  to  take  the  drag  off  the  more  slow- 
moving  Part  II. 

The  further  and  slighter  alterations  worth  notice  are 
as  follows :  The  mother  is  not  present  during  the  scene 
where  Faulconbridge  proudly  claims  illegitimacy,  and  a 
little  later  Shakespeare  adds  a  certain  James  Gurney  to 
the  dramatis  persona?,  a  supernumerary  of  absolutely  no 
importance.1 

1  See  Coleridge's  curious  note  on  this  point,  Table  Talk,  12th  March, 
1827.     "  For   an   instance  of  Shakespeare's  power  in  minimis,  I  generally 


INTRODUCTION  xiii 

King  John  makes  no  mention  of  the  Bastard's  hope 
of  winning  Blanch  for  himself.  In  the  Raigne  he  says 
(line  825):  "Slave  as  I  was,  I  thought  to  have  moovde  the 
match  " ;  and  this  explains  his  hatred  of  the  Dauphin. 

The  incidents  of  the  quarrel  between  the  Bastard  and 
Lymoges-Austria  are  altered.  In  the  Raigne  Faulcon- 
bridge  chases  the  Duke  and  makes  him  drop  the  lion's 
skin  as  early  as  the  first  battle  between  the  English  and 
French ;  later,  the  two  quarrel  before  John,  and  Lymoges- 
Austria  refuses  to  fight  with  Faulconbridge,  his  social  in- 
ferior. John  thereupon  makes  the  Bastard  Duke  of  Nor- 
mandy, but  Lymoges-Austria  still  will  not  fight.  The 
death  of  the  latter  takes  place  under  the  same  circumstances 
in  both  plays. 

The  capture  and  rescue  of  Elinor  is  part  of  the  action 
in  the  Raigne \  while  Shakespeare  merely  narrates  it  in 
seven  lines. 

The  scene  in  the  Raigne  in  which  Faulconbridge  is 
shown  at  work  ransacking  the  monastery  and  convent  is 
completely  omitted  from  King  John.  It  is  out  of  keep- 
ing even  with  the  cruder  style  of  the  earlier  play,  where  it 
seems  to  be  inserted  as  a  vulgar  interlude,  written  in  abomin- 
able doggerel.  Still  more  would  it  have  been  out  of 
keeping  with  Shakespeare's  whole  treatment  of  the  play. 

The  "five  moons"  alluded  to  in  King  John  are  actually 
staged  in  the  Raigne — (how  this  was  managed  we  dare  not 
guess !) — and  the  scenes  concerned  with  the  coronation  and 
with  Peter  of  Pomfret  have  been  taken  to  pieces  and  reset. 

quote  James  Gurney's  character  in  King  John.  How  individual  and  comical 
he  is  with  the  four  words  allowed  to  his  dramatic  life  t  And  pray  look  at 
Skelton's  Richard  Sparrow  also  !  " 


xiv  INTRODUCTION 

In  the  Raigne  Faulconbridge  is  absent  when  the  body 
of  Arthur  is  found  by  the  nobles  and  they  accuse  Hubert 
of  the  murder. 

In  the  last  Act  the  earlier  dramatist  stages  the  poison- 
ing of  the  King,  while  Shakespeare  brings  the  King  on 
after  he  has  taken  the  poison. 

Thus  we  see  that,  so  far  as  structure  goes,  Shake- 
speare practically  took  over  the  old  play  as  it  stood. 
The  earlier  dramatist  took  his  material  from  Holinshed's 
Chronicles,  handled  it  to  suit  his  own  purposes,  and 
cared  not  a  jot  for  fidelity  to  his  original.  It  is  a  far 
cry,  therefore,  from  King  John  and  the  Troublesome  Raigne 
to  the  actual  events  of  the  reign  of  the  historical  King 
John,  for  Holinshed's  Chronicles  themselves  are  not  a  well 
of  English  history  undefiled. 

The  play  opens  soon  after  the  accession  of  John  in 
1 1 99  and  ends  with  his  death  in  12 16.  For  Chatillon's 
embassy  there  is  no  historical  warrant,  nor  could  Philip 
of  France  have  demanded  Anjou,  Maine,  and  Touraine; 
for,  says  Holinshed,  "  by  generall  consent  of  the  nobles 
and  peeres  of  the  countries  of  Anjou,  Maine  and  Touraine, 
Arthur  was  received  as  the  liege  and  sovereigne  lord  of  the 
same  countries." 

The  writer  of  the  Troublesome  Raigne^  who,  as  we  have 
shown,  made  much  more  of  the  matter  than  Shakespeare 
did,  probably  obtained  the  idea  of  John's  rifling  the  abbeys 
from  a  note  in  Holinshed  sub  anno  12 10,  where  we  are 
told  that  John  on  returning  from  an  expedition  to  Ireland 
"  constreined "  the  Cistercians  to  pay  40,000  pounds  of 
silver  notwithstanding  "  all  their  privileges  to  the  contrary. 


INTRODUCTION  xv 

The  cause  that  mooved  the  King  to  deal  so  hardlie  with 
them  was,  for  that  they  refused  to  helpe  him  with  monie, 
when  before  his  last  going  over  into  Normandie,  he  de- 
manded it  of  them  towards  the  paiment  of  the  thirtie 
thousand  pounds  which  he  had  covenanted  to  pay  the 
French  king." 

The  doings  of  Philip  Faulconbridge  have  been  com- 
pounded of  materials  derived  from  several  sources.  Holin- 
shed  mentions  "  Philip,  bastard  sonne  to  King  Richard  to 
whom  his  father  had  given  the  castell  and  honor  of 
Coinacke,"  who  "  Killed  the  vicount  of  Limoges,  in  re- 
venge of  his  father's  death,  who  was  slaine  (as  yee  have 
heard)  in  besieging  the  castell  of  Chalus  Cheverell."  The 
"discovery  of  the  base  sonne"  seems  to  be  an  adaptation 
of  what  Halle  has  to  say  about  the  conduct  of  Dunois, 
the  Bastard  of  Orleans.  His  father  "  the  lord  of  Cauni " 
and  his  mother  being  dead,  Dunois,  at  eight  years  of  age 
proudly  claimed  to  be  the  illegitimate  son  of  the  Duke  of 
Orleans,  when  the  next-of-kin  of  Cauni  claimed  the  in- 
heritance. Stow  has  a  somewhat  similar  story,  in  which 
Morgan,  Provost  of  Beverley,  would  have  been  made 
Bishop  had  he  not  preferred  to  style  himself  the  bastard 
son  of  King  Henry,  rather  than  the  lawful  issue  of  "one 
Radulph  Bloeth." 

The  interview  between  John  and  Philip,  spoken  of  in 
Act  II.,  took  place  on  16th  August,  1199;  "on  the 
morrow  after  the  feast  of  the  Assumption  of  our  ladie." 
Blanch  of  Castile  was  not  present  at  this  meeting,  nor 
was  her  betrothal  mentioned.  The  match  was  "clapped 
up "  at  the  next  meeting  of  the  Kings,  Blanch  still  being 


xvi  INTRODUCTION 

absent.  "  Finallie,  upon  the  Ascension  day  in  this  second 
yeare  of  his  reigne,  they  came  eftsoones  to  a  communica- 
tion betwixt  the  townes  of  Vernon  and  Lisle  Dandelie ; 
where  finallie  they  concluded  an  agreement,  with  a 
marriage  to  be  had  betwixt  Lewes  the  sonne  of  King 
Philip,  and  the  ladie  Blanch,  daughter  to  Alfonso  King 
of  Castile  the  8  of  that  name,  and  neece  to  K.  John  by 
his  sister  Elianor.  In  consideration  whereof,  King  John, 
besides  the  summe  of  thirtie  thousand  markes  in  silver, 
as  in  respect  of  dowrie  assigned  to  his  said  neece,  resigned 
his  title  to  the  citie  of  Eureux,  and  also  unto  all  those 
townes  which  the  French  King  had  by  warre  taken  from 
him,  the  citie  of  Angiers  onelie  excepted,  which  citie  he 
received  againe  by  covenants  of  the  same  agreement  .  .  . 
The  King  of  England  likewise  did  homage  unto  the 
French  King  for  Britaine,  and  againe  (as  after  you  shall 
heare)  received  homage  for  the  same  countrie,  and  for 
the  countie  of  Richmont,  of  his  nephue  Arthur." 

The  first  part  of  Act  III.  Scene  i.  pursues  the  thread 
of  incident  in  historical  order  until  we  come  to  the  entry 
of  Pandulph,  who  was  not  sent  to  England  by  the  Pope 
until  121 1,  when  the  country  was  still  lying  under  the 
interdict  of  1208.  The  quarrel  between  John  and  the 
Pope  had  arisen  soon  after  1205  when  Hubert,  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury,  died,  and  John  had  refused  to  allow 
Stephen  Langton,  the  Pope's  nominee,  "to  injoy  the  rule 
of  the  bishopricke  and  dioces  of  Canturburie ".  It  was 
not  until  after  the  failure  of  the  legates  to  intimidate 
John  that  Innocent  absolved  his  subjects  from  their  allegi- 
ance, and  declared  a  kind  of  Crusade  against  him.  This 
brings  us  to  12 12. 


INTRODUCTION  xvii 

In  Scene  ii.  of  the  same  Act  we  find  Faulconbridge 
gloating  over  the  payment  of  his  score  against  Lymoges- 
Austria.  Holinshed  (see  p.  xv.  ante)  mentions  the  killing 
in  1 199.  The  writer  of  the  Troublesome  Raigne  has 
identified  the  Duke  of  Austria  who  imprisoned  Richard 
Cceur-de-Lion  in  1 193  with  Vidomar,  Viscount  of  Limoges. 
"Brave  Austria,  cause  of  Cordelions  death"  {Troublesome 
Raigne,  i.  446)  says  the  French  King ;  and  in  a  stage-direction 
the  Bastard  "chaseth  Lymoges  the  Austrich  Duke." 

Then  follows  the  capture  of  Arthur  by  John,  which 
brings  us  back  to  1202,  when  Arthur  was  taken  at  Mira- 
beau,  to  be  imprisoned  first  at  Falaise  and  afterwards  at 
Rouen.  The  "assailing"  of  Elinor  in  her  tent  is  founded 
on  the  chronicler's  description  of  her  being  hard  beset  at 
Mirabeau  previous  to  the  turn  of  fortune  which  led  to 
Arthur's  capture. 

Angiers  was  taken  by  John  in  1206 — "comming  to  the 
Citie  of  Angiers,  [he]  appointed  certeine  bands  of  his 
footmen,  and  all  his  light  horssemen  to  compasse  the 
towne  about,  whilest  he,  with  the  residue  of  the  footmen, 
and  all  the  men  of  armes,  did  go  to  assault  the  gates. 
Which  enterprise  with  fire  and  sword  he  so  manfullie 
executed,  that  the  gates  being  in  a  moment  broken 
open,  the  citie  was  entered  and  delivered  to  the  soldiers 
for  a  preie.  So  that  of  the  citizens  some  were  taken, 
some  killed,  and  the  wals  of  the  citie  beaten  flat  to  the 
ground."  It  had  previously  been  taken  by  the  Queen- 
mother  in  1 199. 

In  the  first  scene  of  Act  IV.  we  are  again  with 
Arthur,   and   the   method   of  the   playwrights   in    dealing 


x\ii  INTRODUCTION 

with  the  actual  facts  about  the  prince  may  be  best  under- 
stood by  comparing  the  words  of  the  chroniclers  with 
the  plays.  "  It  is  said  that  King  John  caused  his 
nephue  Arthur  to  be  brought  before  him  at  Falais,  and 
there  went  about  to  persuade  him  all  that  he  could  to 
forsake  his  freendship  and  aliance  with  the  French  king, 
and  to  leane  and  stick  to  him,  being  his  naturall  uncle. 
But  Arthur,  like  one  that  wanted  good  counsell,  and 
abounding  too  much  in  his  owne  wilfull  opinion,  made  a 
presumptuous  answer  ;  not  onelie  denieing  so  to  doo,  but 
also  commanding  King  John  to  restore  unto  him  the 
realme  of  England,  with  all  those  other  lands  and  pos- 
sessions which  King  Richard  had  in  his  hand  at  the 
houre  of  his  death.  For,  sith  the  same  apperteined  to 
him  by  right  of  inheritance,  he  assured  him,  except  resti- 
tution were  made  the  sooner,  he  should  not  long  continue 
quiet.  King  John  being  sore  mooved  with  such  words, 
thus  uttered  by  his  nephue,  appointed  (as  before  is  said) 
that  he  should  be  straitlie  kept  in  prison,  as  first  in 
Falais,  and  after  at  Roan  within  the  new  castell  there. 
Thus  by  means  of  this  good  successe,  the  countries  of 
Poictou,  Touraine,  and  Anjou  were  recovered. 

"  Shortlie  after,  King  John,  comming  over  into  Eng- 
land, caused  himselfe  to  be  crowned  againe  at  Canturburie 
by  the  hands  of  Hubert  the  archbishop  there,  on  the  four- 
teenth day  of  Aprill,  and  then  went  backe  againe  into 
Normandie,  where,  immediatlie  upon  his  arivall,  a  rumour 
was  spread  through  all  France,  of  the  death  of  his  nephue 
Arthur.  True  it  is  that  great  suit  was  made  to  have 
Arthur  set  at  libertie,  as  well  by  the  French  king,  as  by 


INTRODUCTION  xix 

William  de  Riches  a  valiant  baron  of  Poictou,  and  diverse 
other  noble  men  of  the  Britains,  who  when  they  could 
not  prevaile  in  their  suit,  they  banded  themselves  togither 
and,  joining  in  confederacy  with  Robert,  earle  of  Alanson, 
the  vicount  Beamont,  William  de  Fulgiers,  and  other, 
they  began  to  levie  sharpe  wars  against  King  John  in 
diverse  places,  insomuch  (as  it  was  thought)  that,  so  long 
as  Arthur  lived,  there  would  be  no  quiet  in  those  parts ; 
whereupon  it  was  reported  that  King  John,  through  per- 
suasion of  his  councellors,  appointed  certeine  persons  to 
go  unto  Falais,  where  Arthur  was  kept  in  prison,  under 
the  charge  of  Hubert  de  Burgh,  and  there  to  put  out  the 
yoong  gentlemans  eies. 

"  But  through  such  resistance  as  he  made  against  one  of 
the  tormentors  that  came  to  execute  the  kings  com- 
mandement  (for  the  other  rather  forsook  their  prince  and 
countrie,  than  they  would  consent  to  obeie  the  king's 
authoritie  heerein)  and  such  lamentable  words  as  he 
uttered,  Hubert  de  Burgh  did  preserve  him  from  that 
injurie ;  not  doubting  but  rather  to  have  thanks  than  dis- 
pleasure at  the  kings  hands,  for  delivering  him  of  such 
infamie  as  would  have  redoundede  unto  his  highnesse,  if 
the  yoong  gentleman  had  been  so  cruellie  dealt  withall. 
For  he  considered,  that  King  John  had  resolved  upon  this 
point  onelie  in  his  heat  and  furie  (which  moveth  men  to 
undertake  many  an  inconvenient  enterprise,  unbeseeming 
the  person  of  a  common  man,  much  more  reprochfull  to 
a  prince,  all  men  in  that  mood  being  meere  foolish  and 
furious  and  prone  to  accomplish  the  perverse  conceits  of 
their  ill  possessed  heart;  .  .  .)  and   that  afterwards,  upon 


xx  INTRODUCTION 

better  advisement,  he  would  both  repente  himselfe  so  to 
have  commanded,  and  give  them  small  thanke  that  should 
see  it  put  into  execution.  Howbeit,  to  satisfie  his  mind 
for  the  time,  and  to  staie  the  rage  of  the  Britains,  he 
caused  it  to  be  bruted  abroad  through  the  countrie,  that 
the  kings  commandement  was  fulfilled ;  and  that  Arthur 
also  through  sorrow  and  greefe  was  departed  out  of  this 
life.  For  the  space  of  fifteen  daies  this  rumour  incessantlie 
ran  through  both  the  realmes  of  England  and  France,  and 
there  was  ringing  for  him  through  towns  and  villages,  as 
it  had  beene  for  his  funerals."  This  happened  in  1202, 
Arthur  being  then  fifteen  years  of  age.  From  this  point 
onward  the  writer  of  the  Troublesome  Raigne  "wildly 
walks  "  from  the  path  of  historical  accuracy,  and,  of  course, 
Shakespeare  follows  him.  A  messenger  enters  while  we 
are  still  dealing  with  the  events  of  1202,  to  announce  the 
landing  of  the  French,  which  did  not  actually  take  place 
until  1 2 16.  At  the  same  time  the  apparently  recent  deaths 
of  Elinor  and  Constance  are  announced ;  Elinor,  however, 
died  in  1204,  while  Constance  died  three  years  (not  "three 
days")  before  in  1201.  With  Peter  of  Pomfret  we  are  in 
12 1 2.  Concerning  Peter,  Holinshed  has  a  good  deal  to 
say,  the  most  important  things  for  our  purpose  being  as 
follows :  "  This  Peter,  about  the  first  of  Januarie  last  past, 
had  told  the  king  that,  at  the  feast  of  the  Ascension,  it 
should  come  to  passe,  that  he  should  be  cast  out  of  his 
kingdome.  And  (whether,  to  the  intent  that  his  words 
should  be  the  better  beleeved,  or  whether  upon  too  much 
trust  of  his  owne  cunning)  he  offered  himself  to  suffer 
death  for  it,  if  his   prophesie   prooved  not   true.      Heere- 


INTRODUCTION  xxi 

upon  being  committed  to  the  Castle  of  Corf,  when  the 
day  by  him  prefixed  came,  without  any  other  notable 
damage  unto  king  John,  he  was,  by  the  king's  commande- 
ment,  drawn  from  the  said  castell  unto  the  towne  of 
Warham,  and  there  hanged,  togither  with  his  sonne.  The 
people  much  blamed  king  John  for  this  extreame  dealing, 
bicause  that  the  heremit  was  supposed  to  be  a  man  of 
great  virtue,  and  his  sonne  nothing  guiltie  of  the  offense 
committed  by  his  father  (if  any  were)  against  the  king. 
Moreover,  some  thought  that  he  had  much  wrong  to  die, 
bicause  the  matter  fell  out  even  as  he  had  prophesied ; 
for,  the  day  before  the  Ascension  day,  king  John  had 
resigned  the  superioritie  of  his  kingdome  (as  they  tooke 
the  matter)  unto  the  pope,  and  had  doone  to  him  hom- 
age, so  that  he  was  no  absolute  King  indeed,  as  authors 
affirm.  One  cause,  and  that  not  the  least  which  mooved 
king  John  the  sooner  to  agree  with  the  pope,  rose  through 
the  words  of  the  said  heremit,  that  did  put  such  a  feare 
of  some  great  mishap  in  his  hart,  which  would  grow 
through  the  disloialtie  of  his  people,  that  it  made  him 
yeeld  the  sooner." 

The  "  five  moons "  are  soberly  recorded  in  Holinshed 
as  having  appeared  in  1200.  "About  the  moneth  of 
December,  there  were  seene  in  the  province  of  Yorke 
five  moones,  one  in  the  east,  the  second  in  the  west,  the 
third  in  the  north,  the  fourth  in  the  south,  and  the  fift 
as  it  were  set  in  the  middest  of  the  other;  having  manie 
stars  about  it,  and  went  five  or  six  times  incompassing 
the  other,  as  it  were  the  space  of  one  houre,  and  shortlie 
after  vanished  awaie." 


xxii  INTRODUCTION 

With  Arthur's  death  we  are  again  carried  forward  to 
1 203.  After  explaining  how  the  "  Britains  "  were  angered 
still  more  upon  hearing  rumours  of  Arthur's  death,  and 
how  the  fact  that  he  was  still  living  was  then  made 
known,  Holinshed  goes  on  to  say:  "But  now  touching 
the  maner  in  verie  deed  of  the  end  of  this  Arthur,  writers 
make  sundrie  reports.  Nevertheless  certeine  it  is,  that, 
in  the  yeare  next  insuing,  he  was  remooved  from  Falais 
unto  the  castell  or  tower  of  Rouen,  out  of  the  which  there 
was  not  any  that  would  confesse  that  ever  he  saw  him  go 
alive.  Some  have  written,  that,  as  he  assaied  to  have 
escaped  out  of  prison,  and  prooving  to  clime  over  the 
wals  of  the  castell,  he  fell  into  the  river  of  Saine,  and 
so  was  drowned.  Other  write,  that  through  verie  greefe 
and  languor  he  pined  awaie,  and  died  of  naturall  sicknesse. 
But  some  affirme,  that  King  John  secretlie  caused  him  to 
be  murthered  and  made  awaie,  so  as  it  is  not  throughlie 
agreed  upon,  in  what  sort  he  finished  his  daies ;  but 
verelie  king  John  was  had  in  great  suspicion,  whether 
worthilie  or  not,  the  lord  knoweth." 

Act  V.  opens  with  John's  submission  to  Pandulph, 
which  took  place  on  22nd  May,  the  vigil  of  Ascension 
Day,  12 1 3.  The  play,  however,  treats  it  as  Ascension 
Day.  Shakespeare  makes  the  handing  over  of  the  crown 
a  brief  formality;  but  in  the  Raigne  a  long  scene  is 
inserted  between  the  surrender  of  the  crown  and  its  re- 
delivery to  John.  During  this  time  Faulconbridge  has 
gone  to  and  returned  from  Edmundsbury,  where  the 
English  nobles  have  assembled  to  meet  Lewis.  Holinshed 
tells  us  that  "  Pandulph,    keeping   the  crown  with  him  for 


INTRODUCTION  xxiii 

the  space  of  five  daies  in  token  of  possession  thereof,  at 
length  (as  the  popes  vicar)  gave  it  him  againe." 

The  continual  references  to  the  French  in  England 
transport  us  to  the  year  1216,  while  the  "cloked  pilgrim- 
age "  of  the  barons  who  *  assembled  themselves  togither  at 
the  abbeie  of  Burie  (under  colour  of  going  thither  to  do 
their  devotions  to  the  bodie  of  S.  Edmund  which  laie 
there  shrined)  where  they  uttered  their  complaint  of  the 
kings  tyrannicall  manners." 

This  really  was  the  first  step  towards  the  attainment 
of  the  Great  Charter,  and  had  little  to  do  with  the  motives 
ascribed  to  the  barons  in  the  plays ;  for  "...  being  thus 
assembled  in  the  queere  of  the  Church  of  S.  Edmund, 
they  received  a  solemn  oath  upon  the  altar  there,  that, 
if  the  King  would  not  grant  to  them  the  same  liberties, 
with  others  which  he  of  his  owne  accord  had  promised 
to  confirm  to  them,  they  would  from  thencefoorth  make 
warre  upon  him,  till  they  had  obteined  their  purpose,  and 
inforced  him  to  grant,  not  onelie  to  all  these  their  peti- 
tions, but  also  yeeld  to  the  confirmation  of  them  under 
his  seale,  for  ever  to  remaine  most  stedfast  and  inviolable." 

The  invasion  of  England  by  Philip  had  been  really 
staved  off  by  Pandulph  in  1 2 1 3  ;  the  French  King,  how- 
ever, having  prepared  for  war  was  resolved  to  have  it, 
and  so  attacked  Ferrand,  Count  of  Flanders,  an  ally  of 
John's.  Ferrand's  appeal  for  help  brought  on  a  struggle 
which  was  ended  by  Philip's  defeat  of  the  English, 
Germans  and  Flemings  at  Bouvines  on  27th  July,  12 14. 
An  attempt  to  recover  Poitou  and  Brittany  further 
weakened   the    English    King   at   home,    and    the    barons 


xxiv  INTRODUCTION 

seized  the  opportunity  to  make  head  against  him  at  St. 
Edmundsbury,  as  we  have  seen. 

The  account  of  the  success  of  the  French  in  Kent  is 
historically  correct  So  is  the  account  of  Lewis's  duplicity 
towards  his  English  helpers,  and  of  its  exposure  by 
Melun. 

The  fight  in  Scene  iii.  has  no  historical  warrant  unless 
it  refers  to  the  battle  of  Lincoln  in  12 17,  seven  months 
after  John's  death.  The  wrecked  "  supply "  can  only  be 
the  reinforcements  sent  by  Philip  three  months  after  the 
battle  of  Lincoln.  These  were  destroyed  in  a  naval  fight 
by  Hubert  de  Burgh,  the  stout  defender  of  Dover  Castle. 

For  the  last  scenes,  chiefly  dealing  with  the  death  of 
John,  the  dramatists  have  used  the  more  picturesque  ac- 
counts. Holinshed  says  "the  king  hasted  forward  till  he 
came  to  Wellestreme  sands,  where  passing  the  washes  he 
lost  a  great  part  of  his  armie,  with  horsses  and  car- 
riages ;  so  that  it  was  judged  to  be  a  punishment  ap- 
pointed by  God,  that  the  spoile,  which  had  beene  gotten 
and  taken  out  of  churches,  abbeies,  and  other  religious 
houses,  should  perish,  and  be  lost  by  such  means  togither 
with  the  spoilers.  Yet  the  king  himself,  and  a  few  other, 
escaped  the  violence  of  the  waters,  by  following  a  good 
guide.  But,  as  some  have  written,  he  tooke  such  greefe 
for  the  losse  susteined  at  this  passage,  that  immediatlie 
thereupon  he  fell  into  an  ague ;  the  force  and  heat  where- 
of, togither  with  his  immoderate  feeding  on  rawe  peaches, 
and  drinking  of  new  sider,  so  increased  his  sicknesse,  that 
he  was  not  able  to  ride,  but  was  faine  to  be  carried  in  a 
litter   presentlie   made  of  twigs,  with   a   couch  of  strawe 


INTRODUCTION  xxv 

under  him,  without  any  bed  or  pillow,  thinking  to  have 
gone  to  Lincolne ;  but  the  disease  still  so  raged  and  grew 
upon  him,  that  he  was  inforced  to  staie  one  night  at  the 
castell  of  Laford,  and,  on  the  next  day  with  great  paine, 
caused  himselfe  to  be  caried  unto  Newarke,  where,  in  the 
castell,  through  anguish  of  mind,  rather  than  through  force 
of  sickness,  he  departed  this  life  before  the  nineteenth  day 
of  October,  in  the  yeare  of  his  age  fifty  and  one,  and 
after  he  had  reigned  seaventeene  yeares,  six  moneths,  and 
seaven  and  twentie  daies. 

"There  be  which  have  written,  that,  after  he  had  lost 
his  armie,  he  came  to  the  abbeie  of  Swineshead  in  Lin- 
colneshire,  and,  there  understanding  the  cheapenesse  and 
plentie  of  corne,  shewed  himselfe  greatlie  displeased  there- 
with, as  he  that  for  the  hatred  which  he  bare  to  the 
English  people,  that  had  so  traitorouslie  revolted  from  him 
unto  his  adversarie  Lewes,  wished  all  miserie  to  light 
upon  them ;  and  thereupon  said  in  his  anger,  that  he 
would  cause  all  kind  of  graine  to  be  at  a  farre  higher 
price,  yer  manie  daies  should  passe.  Whereupon  a  moonke, 
that  heard  him  speake  such  words,  being  mooved  with 
zeale  for  the  oppression  of  his  countrie,  gave  the  King 
poison  in  a  cup  of  ale,  wherof  he  first  took  the  assaie,  to 
cause  the  King  not  to  suspect  the  matter,  and  so  they 
both  died  in  manner  at  one  time." 

The  time  supposed  to  be  taken  up  by  the  play  of 
King  John  is  in  all  not  more  than  about  four  months. 
Mr.  Daniel  has  done  the  necessary  analysis  once  and  for 
all,  and  his  successors  borrow  his  tables,  as  I  do  here. 


xxvi  INTRODUCTION 

Day  i.  Act  I.  sc.  i. 

An  interval.     Return  of  the  French  ambassador, 
and  arrival  of  John  in  France. 
Day  2.  Act  II.  sc.  i. 
„       Act  in.  sc.  i. 
„        Act  III.  sc.  ii.  and  iii. 
An  interval. 
Day  3.  Act  III.  sc.  iv.     (Some  time  after  the  battle, 
since  the  French  know  that  John  has  forti- 
fied the  places  he  has  won  and  has  returned 
to  England :  from  whence  they  also  have  news 
that  the  Bastard  is  ransacking  the  church.) 
An  interval :  (deaths  of  Constance,  28th  March, 
and  Elinor,  1st  April). 
Day  4.  Act  IV.  sc.  i. 

„        Act  IV.  sc.  ii.     Hubert  announces  that  "  Arthur 

is  deceased  to-night"  (     last  night). 
„        Act  IV.  sc.  iii.      "Hub.  Tis  not  an  hour  since 
I    left  him   well "  ;  i.e.  at  end  of  Act  IV. 
sc.  i. 
An  interval. 
Day  5.  Act  V.  sc.   i.     The  arrival   of  Ascension    Day, 
the  presence  of  Pandulph,  the  news  of  the 
Dauphin's  success,  demand  an  interval  be- 
fore  this    Act.     On   the  other    hand,    the 
Bastard   has  only   now   returned   from  his 
mission  to  the  nobles,  and  the  King  now 
hears  first  of  Arthur's  actual  death.     These 
facts  would  connect  the  scene  closely  with 
the  preceding. 


INTRODUCTION  xxvii 

An  interval — for  Pandulph's  return  to  the  Dau- 
phin, the  Bastard's  preparation  for  defence, 
and  the  march  to  St.  Edmundsbury. 
Day  6.  Act  V.  sc.  ii. 
„        Act  V.  sc.  iii. 
„        Act  V.  sc.  iv. 
,,        Act  V.  sc.  v. 
Day  7.  Act  v.  sc.  vi. 
„        Act  v.  sc.  vii. 
An  "interval "  means  at  least  a  clear  twenty-four  hours, 
in  one  day. 

As  we  have  pointed  out,  the  construction  of  the  plot 
is  entirely  the  work  of  the  earlier  unknown  dramatist. 
We  have  catalogued  the  most  important  liberties  he  has 
taken  with  chronology  and  historical  fact,  and  must  now 
ask  whether  he  was  justified  in  so  doing.  He  was  more 
than  justified ;  the  alterations  made  were  absolutely  neces- 
sary in  order  to  obtain  sufficient  dramatic  concentration, 
for  it  needs  no  pointing  out  to  see  that  the  play  would 
have  been  utterly  impossible  as  a  play  if  the  writer  had 
slavishly  followed  the  chronicles.  As  it  is,  the  identifi- 
cation of  Lymoges  with  Austria,  the  presence  of  Blanch 
at  the  interview  between  the  Kings,  and  the  sudden  "  clap- 
ping up "  of  her  marriage ;  and,  above  all,  the  close  weav- 
ing together  of  the  Papal  interference,  the  death  of  Arthur, 
the  baronial  revolt  as  if  brought  about  by  Arthur's  supposed 
murder,  and  the  French  invasion — all  these  are  felt  to  be 
dramatic  gains. 

In  his  adaptation  two  small  points  escaped  Shakespeare's 


xxviii  INTRODUCTION 

notice  :  in  the  first  place,  as  we  have  previously  mentioned, 
he  does  not  explain  the  reason  why  Faulconbridge  should 
so  hate  the  Dauphin  ;  and,  secondly,  the  monk  who  poisons 
John  does  so  without  any  apparent  motive,  for  by  this 
time  the  King  has  submitted  to  the  Pope.  In  the  Trouble- 
some Raigne  things  are  a  little  more  explicit.  Swinsted 
seems  to  have  suffered  from  John's  previous  plunderings, 
and,  in  revenge,  the  monk  poisons  the  King. 

Shakespeare  does  not  seem  to  have  consulted  the 
Chronicles  at  first  hand.  Mr.  Moore-Smith  has  indicated 
some  minor  points  which  seem  to  argue  for  his  having 
done  so — the  accusation  of  unchastity  brought  by  Con- 
stance against  Elinor,  the  death  of  Elinor  on  1st  April, 
the  use  of  the  word  "supply"  in  the  last  Act,  and  John's 
desire  to  be  buried  at  Worcester.  Even  granting  that 
Shakespeare  did  go  to  the  Chronicles,  he  made  no  inde- 
pendent use  of  them  in  any  important  detail. 

There  is  no  extant  Quarto  of  King  John,  that  is,  it 
does  not  seem  to  have  been  published  until  it  made  its 
appearance  in  the  First  Folio  of  1623.  It  is  mentioned 
in  Meres'  Palladis  Tamia,  1598,  in  the  famous  phrase 
"  For  tragedy  :  his  [Shakespeare's]  Richard  I  I. .Richard  III., 
Henry  IV.,  King  John,  Titus  Andronicus,  and  his  Romeo 
and  Juliet."  We  have  already  seen  that  the  first  edition 
of  the  Troublesome  Raigne  was  published  in  1591,  and  a 
reference  in  King  John  (Act  I.  sc.  i.  1.  244)  to  the  play 
of  Soliman  and  Perseda  published  in  1 592,  completes  the 
only  dejinite  evidence  we  have  concerning  the  date  of  the 
play.     Often  following   what  we  shall  see  to  be  the  most 


INTRODUCTION  xxix 

flimsy  evidence  of  the  purely  internal  kind — that  which 
sees  in  certain  passages  obscure  allusions  to  contemporary 
events — different  editors  have  placed  the  play  in  every 
year  between  1592  and  1598.  Malone,  for  instance,  was 
in  favour  of  1596  for  the  following  reasons:  (1)  Shake- 
speare's son  Hamnet  died  in  August,  1596,  and  the  lamen- 
tations of  Constance  for  her  captive  son  are  partly  an 
expression  of  Shakespeare's  own  grief.  (2)  Chatillon's 
speech,  Act  II.  sc.  i.,  "a  braver  choice  of  dauntless  spirits," 
etc.,  may  refer  to  the  fleet  sent  out  against  Spain  in  1596. 
(3)  The  lines  in  Act  III.  sc.  i.   176-9 — 

And  meritorious  shall  that  hand  be  call'd, 
Canonised  and  worshipp'd  as  a  saint, 
That  takes  away  by  any  secret  course 
Thy  hateful  life, 

may  refer  to  the  Bull  published  against  Elizabeth  in  1596. 
Other  reasons  are  given  which  are  even  less  plausible  than 
these,  and  we  must  admit  that  when  one  of  the  greatest 
Shakespearian  scholars  can,  along  these  lines,  only  adduce 
such  slender  evidence  as  this,  we  must  search  in  other 
directions  for  clues  to  the  date  of  our  play. 

First  of  all,  it  is  quite  clear  that  we  are  dealing  with 
"early  Shakespeare."  Apart  from  a  certain  want  of  de- 
finite continuity  throughout  the  play — which  in  itself  might 
very  well  be  put  down  to  the  close  following  of  the  older 
version — we  find  the  "clenches,"  the  lengthy  speeches,  the 
antithetical  answers,  the  absence  of  prose,  and  the  more 
inelastic  verse  characteristic  of  Shakespeare's  earlier  manner. 
The  minute  analysis  of  this  last  point — verse — the  formid- 
able array  of  perhaps  rather  too  mechanical  "  double-ending," 


\\\ 


INTRODUCTION 


" light-ending,"  and  "broken-line"  tests,  together  with  the 
"  rhyme-test,"  lead  us  to  the  same  conclusion.  Professor 
Herford  in  his  Introduction  to  the  Warwick  edition  of 
Richard  II.  thus  tabulates  the  results  of  these  tests: — 


s 

(6 

tj 

1 

s 

U 

^ 

U 

* 

1 

a: 

<3 
ftj 

ti 

ti 

ti 

io-o 
8-2 

M 

Rhyme  test 
Double-ending  teat 

3° 

137 

3'5 
19'5 

I7-2 

8-2 

%\ 

186 

II'O 

2-7 
51 

29 

163 

32 
20-5 

Light-ending  test    . 
Broken-line  test 

io*4 
°*5 

IO'O 
I'O 

»3*« 

29 

142 
14-9 

177 

121 

199 

7'3 

228 
I42 

214 

16-8 

218 
18-3 

These  percentages  in  the  first  two  cases  do  not  en- 
lighten us  much,  but  we  notice  that  in  the  last  two, 
which  are  generally  supposed  to  be  the  more  trustworthy, 
King  John  shares  with  Richard  II.  the  middle  place  in 
the  series,  and  on  general  grounds  (following  what  we 
might  call  the  "feeling"  test)  Richard  II.  and  King  John 
seem  to  be  grouped  together.  Authorities  unanimous  in 
dating  Richard  II.  about  1593-4  are  now  equally  un- 
animous in  dating  John  either  immediately  before  or  im- 
mediately after  Richard;  we  have  therefore  to  choose 
between  a  date  nearer  to  1 593  and  a  date  nearer  to  1 595. 
Nothing  can  guide  us  in  our  choice  except  a  comparison 
of  the  plays  in  the  hope  of  discovering  signs  of  greater 
maturity  in  the  treatment  of  one  or  the  other.  But  even 
here  we  are  handicapped  ;  firstly,  by  the  fact  that  Shake- 
speare deliberately  chose  to  keep  close  to  his  "  source " 
in  so  many  respects,  and  therefore  did  not  allow  his  own 
genius  full  play,  and   secondly,   by   the   fact  that,   in   any 


INTRODUCTION  xxxi 

case,  the  plays  were  written  within  a  very  short  time  of 
one  another.  Comparison  of  the  methods  and  character- 
istics of  the  two  plays  yields  the  following  results: 
There  is  a  greater  consistency  and  unity  in  the  treatment 
of  Richard's  character.  He  is,  all  through,  the  weak,  senti- 
mental poseur,  whose  weakness  we  pity,  and  whose  poses 
we  despise;  but  we  sympathise  with  him  in  his  mis- 
fortunes because  they  are  brought  about  not  by  crime  but 
by  incompetence,  not  by  deliberate  malice  but  as  a  result 
of  sentimental  impotence.  On  the  other  hand,  John  is  at 
one  and  the  same  time  the  swift  and  resolute  warrior 
leaping  fearlessly  upon  his  enemy,  the  champion  of  his 
country  against  Papal  aggression,  and  the  vacillating  coward 
far  worse  than  the  murderer  of  Arthur,  toadying  to  Pan- 
dulph  and  detracting  from  our  sympathy  with  his  awful 
death  by  the  childishness  of  his  unkingly  lamentations. 
John  is  neither  the  hero  nor  the  villain  of  the  piece  but 
an  unpleasant  mixture  of  both. 

Again,  the  characters  in  Richard  appear  to  be  drawn 
by  a  hand  at  once  firmer  and  more  subtle. 

We  get  to  know  Bolingbroke  gradually  and  surely  as 
the  play  progresses,  every  action  and  almost  every  word 
add  little  by  little  to  our  conception  of  his  character,  and 
that  conception  is  only  completed  with  the  last  scene  of 
the  last  Act.  There  is  no  parallel  to  this  in  King  John. 
We  know  Faulconbridge  as  well  at  the  end  of  the  first 
scene  as  we  do  when  we  close  the  book.  It  may  be  said 
that  every  scene  is  a  new  revelation  of  John's  character. 
Granting  that,  we  still  find  that  the  revelation  is  not 
consistent,  natural  and   inevitable  as  it   is   in   the  case  of 


xxxii  INTRODUCTION 

Bolingbroke.  These  arguments  and  others  of  a  similar  kind 
that  might  be  adduced  make  for  the  later  date  of  Richard. 

As  opposed  to  that  view  it  may  be  held  that  the 
mixture  of  tragedy  and  comedy  in  the  play  brought 
about  by  Shakespeare's  treatment  of  the  character  of  the 
Bastard  is  a  sign  of  more  mature  work ;  besides,  the 
continual  and  fatiguing  drop  into  rhyme  in  the  earlier 
part  of  Richard  and  the  uncalled-for  puns  and  conceits 
in  unwelcome  places  also  seem  to  indicate  that  Richard 
was  earlier  than  John.  Again,  if  we  examine  more  closely 
the  table  of  tests  just  given,  and  compare  only  the  figures 
relating  to  Richard  and  John,  we  find  that  the  first  and 
last  are  in  favour  of  the  earlier  date  of  Richard  while  the 
other  two  are  against  it.  The  tests  therefore  are  at  least 
not  against  the  earlier  date  of  Richard  II. 

A  comparison  between  two  similar  passages,  King 
John,  II.  i.  23  et  sea.  and  Richard  II.,  II.  i.  40  et  seq.,  may 
give  a  slight  hint  as  to  their  order.  Shakespeare  never 
goes  back,  and  in  such  cases  the  more  elaborate  and  fuller 
passage  is  always  the  later.  In  this  case  the  Richard 
passage  is  far  more  fully  developed  than  that  in  John ; 
this  seems  therefore  to  make  for  the  later  date  of  Richard. 

The  definite  truth,  however,  "  by  our  best  eyes  cannot  be 
censured,"  and  we  must  therefore  candidly  date  John  with 
a  hyphen,   1593-5. 

We  have  dealt  with  the  dry  bones  of  the  play  as 
Shakespeare  took  them  over  from  the  Troublesome  Raigne, 
but  we  have  still  to  deal  with  the  flesh  and  blood  in  which 
he  clothed  them. 


INTRODUCTION  xxxiii 

Once  again  it  is  the  old  story  of  genius,  like  the 
"glorious  sun"  playing 

.  .  .  the  alchemist, 
Turning  with  splendour  of  his  precious  eye 
The  meagre  cloddy  earth  to  glittering  gold. 

It  is  true  that  the  play  has  its  defects.  We  have 
already  partly  mentioned  the  greatest  of  these, — it  has  no 
real  "hero."  John  ought  to  be  the  hero.  He  is  "cast" 
for  it,  but  cannot  play  the  part.  Faulconbridge,  although 
prominent,  is  not  quite  prominent  enough,  and,  as  the 
provider  of  continual  "  comic  relief,"  is  not  dignified  enough. 
Arthur,  in  order  that  the  pathos  of  his  situation  may  be 
more  fully  developed — in  the  scene  with  Hubert  it  is 
absolutely  essential  that  Arthur  should  be  an  innocent 
child — is  kept  too  young,  and  dies  too  soon.  This  want 
of  a  commanding  central  figure  gives  a  certain  regrettable 
looseness  of  structure  to  the  play.  The  minor  faults  of 
construction  we  have  already  noticed,  and  with  them  we 
are  at  the  end  of  our  fault-finding. 

When  we  come  to  ask  what  are  the  strong  points  of 
the  play,  we  do  not  know  whether  to  admire  most  that 
breathing  of  life  into  the  clay  figures  of  the  Raigne,  which 
stirred  into  being  men  and  women  worthy  to  take  their 
places  in  the  front  ranks  of  Shakespeare's  wondrous  array 
of  human  creations ;  or  that  exhibition  of  supreme  mastery 
of  all  the  detail  of  stage-craft  to  be  found  in  every  re- 
jection, acceptation  or  alteration  of  the  arrangement  of  the 
original.  Probably  the  best  way  to  appreciate  these  things 
would  be  to  read  both  plays  together,  scene  for  scene  and 
speech  for  speech;   we  can  hardly  illustrate   them  within 


xxxiv  INTRODUCTION 

the  limits  of  an  Introduction.  But,  apart  from  comparison, 
it  is  quite  easy  to  recognise  the  touch  of  genius  in  the 
presentation  of  the  character  of  that  "hardy  wild  head, 
tough  and  venturous,"  as  the  Raigne  calls  him, — the  Bastard  ; 
in  the  revelation  of  the  depths  of  Constance's  love  and 
grief ;  in  the  pathetic  and  innocent  pleadings  of  Arthur  for 
his  eyes ;  and,  indeed,  in  the  glib  sophistry  of  Pandulph. 

For  the  detailed  stage  history  of  the  play  the  reader 
is  referred  to  the  Irving  Shakespeare.  We  know  nothing 
of  it  previous  to  1736,  when  Cibber  rehearsed  an  adapta- 
tion of  it  entitled  Papal  Tyranny  under  King  John  ;  but 
this  failed  to  weather  a  storm  of  denunciation  from  op- 
ponents of  any  tampering  with  Shakespeare,  and  "  King 
John  in  silence  modestly  expire(d),"  as  Pope  took  care  to 
inform  the  world.  But  in  1745  the  aged  Cibber  saw  his 
play  actually  staged,  he  himself  taking  the  part  of  Pan- 
dulph. 

In  1737  Shakespeare's  King  John  was  produced  by 
Rich  at  Covent  Garden,  and  Walker's  Faulconbridge  was 
declared  to  have  been  a  finer  performance  than  that  of 
his  successors  Garrick,  Sheridan,  Delane  and  Barry. 

Between  1737  and  1846  the  play  was  often  revived. 
The  Constance  of  Mrs.  Cibber  and  Mrs.  Siddons,  the  King 
John  of  Garrick,  Macready  and  Charles  Kean,  and  the 
Faulconbridge  of  Kemble  being  notable  performances. 

Mr.  Tree's  revival  of  the  play  at  the  Haymarket  in 
1899  aroused  considerable  interest,  inasmuch  as  several 
alterations  were  made.  The  play  was  divided  into  three 
Acts  instead  of  five,  the  new  divisions  being  made  with 


INTRODUCTION  xxxv 

reference  to  Arthur — Act  I.  ended  with  his  capture,  Act  II. 
with  his  death,  Act  III.  with  John's  death  as  a  conse- 
quence of  Arthur's.  Two  tableaux  were  introduced,  one 
of  the  battle  before  Angiers,  and  a  second  (which  is  very 
difficult  to  defend)  of  the  signing  of  Magna  Charta,  before 
the  last  Act. 

As  regards  the  Charter,  it  does  seem  strange  to  us,  no 
doubt,  that  Shakespeare  and  his  predecessor  completely 
ignored  it.  But  we  must  remember  that  in  their  day  the 
importance  of  the  Charter  had  not  begun  to  be  under- 
stood. In  any  case,  its  introduction  into  Mr.  Tree's  ver- 
sion on  account  of  its  historical  and  constitutional  import- 
ance hardly  seems  justified  when  we  remember  that  it  has 
nothing  whatever  to  do  with  the  plot  or  development  of 
the  play.  Some  cleverly  conceived  and  very  effective 
minor  "  business "  was  also  introduced,  and  the  revival  had 
a  longer  life  than  any  other. 

In  preparing  this  edition  I  have  availed  myself  freely 
of  the  labours  of  my  predecessors,  and  of  the  works  of 
the  army  of  critics  and  editors  of  Shakespeariana,  of 
which  latter  class  the  Shakespeare's  Holinshed,  of  Mr.  Bos- 
well-Stone,  stands  as  a  splendid  example. 

As  regards  readings,  the  fact  that  there  is  no  Quarto 
of  King  John  makes  the  correction  of  corrupt  passages  a 
matter  of  pure  conjecture,  and,  consequently,  we  have  had 
made  many  "giddy,  loose  suggestions."  In  all  cases  I 
have  endeavoured  to  be  as  conservative  of  the  text  as 
possible,  and  besides,  I  have  had  no  hesitation  in  sitting 
firmly  on  the  fence  where  explanations  seem  unsatisfactory 


xxxvi  INTRODUCTION 

or  where  probabilities  seem  evenly  balanced ;  very  rarely 
indeed  have  I  offered  an  independent  suggestion,  the  chief 
instance  being  the  reading  of  "  fury-kindled "  for  ■  fiery- 
kindled"  in  II.  L  358.  In  one  or  two  instances  men- 
tioned and  noted  passim,  I  have  altered  the  punctuation. 
Finally,  I  gratefully  acknowledge  valuable  help  from 
Professor  Littledale  and  from  the  general  editor  of  this 
series. 


THE    LIFE    AND    DEATH    OF    KING   JOHN 


DRAMATIS    PERSONS* 

King  John. 

Prince  Henry,  son  to  the  king. 

Arthur,  Duke  of  Bretagne,  nephew  to  the  king. 

The  Earl  of  Pembroke. 

The  Earl  of  Essex. 

The  Earl  of  Salisbury. 

The  Lord  Bigot. 

Hubert  de  Burgh. 

Robert  Faulconbridge,  son  to  Sir  Robert  Faulconbridge. 

Philip  the  Bastard,  his  half-brother. 

James  Gurney,  servant  to  Lady  Faulconbridge. 

Peter  of  Pomfret,  a  prophet. 

Philip,  king  of  France. 

Lewis,  the  Dauphin. 

Lymoges,  Duke  of  Austria. 

Cardinal  Pandulph,  the  Pope's  legate. 

Melun,  a  French  lord. 

Chatillon,  ambassador  from  France  to  King  John. 

Queen  Elinor,  mother  to  King  John. 

Constance,  mother  to  Arthur. 

Blanch  of  Spain,  niece  to  King  John. 

Lady  Faulconbridge. 

Lords,   Citizens  of  Anglers,  Sheriff,  Heralds,   Officers, 
Soldiers,  Messengers,  and  other  Attendants. 

Scene:  Partly  in  England,  and  partly  in  France. 

*  The  list  of  dramatis  persona  does  not  appear  in  the  Folios.     It  was 
first  given  by  Rowe. 

2 


THE  LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF 
KING  JOHN 

ACT  I 

SCENE  I. — King  John's  Palace. 

Enter  King  John,  Queen  Elinor,  Pembroke,  Essex, 
Salisbury,  and  others,  with  Chatillon. 

K.  John.   Now,  say,  Chatillon,  what  would  France  with  us  ? 

Chat.  Thus,  after  greeting,  speaks  the  King  of  France 
In  my  behaviour  to  the  majesty, 
The  borrowed  majesty,  of  England  here. 

Eli.  A  strange  beginning :  "  borrowed  majesty ! "  5 

K.  John.  Silence,  good  mother;  hear  the  embassy. 

Chat.  Philip  of  France,  in  right  and  true  behalf 
Of  thy  deceased  brother  Geffrey's  son, 
Arthur  Plantagenet,  lays  most  lawful  claim 

with  Chatillon]    The   Folios   read  their  behaviours  from  the  great,"  and 

"with  the    Chattylion    of    France."  Faulconbridge's      embassy    to      the 

Perhaps   "Lord"   had   dropped  out  French,  v.  ii.  128,  129:  "Now  hear 

before     "  Chattylion"    or     perhaps  our    English    king ;     For    thus    his 

"  Chatyllion"    was    taken    to  mean  royalty  doth  speak  in  me." 

"  Chatelain  "  or  some  similar  title.  9.  Arthur  .  .  .  claim]  Pope  need- 

3.    In  my  behaviour]  through  my  lessly    omits  most.      Scan    "Arthur 

conduct  as  ambassador.     Compare  v.  Plantag'net,  lays  most  lawful  claim." 

i.  50,  51 :  "  inferior  eyes,  That  borrow  Compare  3  Henry  VI.  1.  i.  40  :  "  Un- 


4  KING  JOHN  [act  .. 

To  this  fair  island  and  the  territories,  10 

To  Ireland,  Poictiers,  Anjou,  Touraine,  Maine, 

Desiring  thee  to  lay  aside  the  sword 

Which  sways  usurpingly  these  several  titles, 

And  put  the  same  into  young  Arthur's  hand, 

Thy  nephew  and  right  royal  sovereign.  15 

K.  John.  What  follows  if  we  disallow  of  this  ? 

Chat.  The  proud  control  of  fierce  and  bloody  war, 
To  enforce  these  rights  so  forcibly  withheld. 

K.  John.  Here  have  we  war  for  war  and  blood  for  blood, 
Controlment  for  controlment :  so  answer  France.       20 

Chat.  Then  take  my  king's  defiance  from  my  mouth, 
The  farthest  limit  of  my  embassy. 

K.  John.  Bear  mine  to  him,  and  so  depart  in  peace: 
Be  thou  as  lightning  in  the  eyes  of  France ; 
For  ere  thou  canst  report  I  will  be  there,  25 

18.  enforce]  in/orce  F  x. 

less   Plantag'net,   Duke  of  York,   be  17.  The  proud  .  .   .  war]  the  proud 

king"  ;  and  ibid,  line  48:  '*  I'll  plant  constraint  of  fierce  and  bloody  war. 

Plantag'net,  root  him  up  who  dares."  There  is  no  similar  use  of  the  word 

In  many  other  cases,  however,  Shake-  "  control  "      in      Shakespeare.       In 

speare  gives  four  syllables  to  Plan-  Troublesome  Raigne,  1.  ii.  11,  however, 

tagenet.  we  find :  "  Till  I  had  with  an  unre- 

10.  island]  One  is  here  tempted  to  sisted  shock  Controld  the  mannage 

keep  the  older  and  more  correct  form  of  proud   Angiers    walls  "  ;     and   in 

" Hand"  as  printed  in  F  1.     Compare  Kyd's  Spanish   Tragedy,   1.  ii.    138, 

Milton's  Comus,  line  50 :  "  On  Circe's  139  : — 

Hand  fell."  "  The  trespass  that  my  father  made 

10.    the   territories]    There    is  no  in  peace 

other  case  of  the  use  of  "  the  terri-  Is  now  controll'd  by  fortune  of 

tories  "  in  this  way  by  Shakespeare.  the  wars." 

One  is   tempted    to    suggest    either  20.    controlment:  so]   Shakespeare 

"  and  the  territories  Of  Ireland,"  or  often  uses,  as  here,  an  extra  syllable 

"  her  territories."      In    Troublesome  before  the  caesura.     There  is  no  need 

Raigne,   11.  iii.  (ed.    1591),  we   have  to  alter  the  second  "  controlment  "  to 

"to   England,  Cornwall  and  Wales,  "control." 

and  to  their  territories."  21.  Then   take  .  .  .  mouth]  Com- 

12.  Desiring]  commanding.     Com-  pare  Henry  V.  m.  v.  37  :  "  Let  him 

pare  modern  English  (to  a  child)  :  "  I  greet   England  with   our  sharp   de- 

dtsire  you  to  come  here."  fiance." 


sc.  i.]  KING  JOHN  5 

The  thunder  of  my  cannon  shall  be  heard : 
So  hence!     Be  thou  the  trumpet  of  our  wrath 
And  sullen  presage  of  your  own  decay. 
An  honourable  conduct  let  him  have  : 
Pembroke,  look  to't.     Farewell,  Chatillon.  30 

[Exeunt  Chatillon  and  Pembroke. 

Eli.  What  now,  my  son!  have  I  not  ever  said 

How  that  ambitious  Constance  would  not  cease 

Till  she  had  kindled  France  and  all  the  world, 

Upon  the  right  and  party  of  her  son  ? 

This  might  have  been  prevented  and  made  whole  35 

With  very  easy  arguments  of  love, 

Which  now  the  manage  of  two  kingdoms  must 

With  fearful-bloody  issue  arbitrate. 

K.  John.  Our  strong  possession  and  our  right  for  us. 

Eli.  Your  strong  possession  much  more  than  your  right,  40 
Or  else  it  must  go  wrong  with  you  and  me: 
So  much  my  conscience  whispers  in  your  ear, 
Which  none  but  heaven  and  you  and  I  shall  hear. 

Enter  a  Sheriff. 

Essex.  My  liege,  here  is  the  strangest  controversy 

Come  from  the  country  to  be  judged  by  you,  45 

That  e'er  I  heard :  shall  I  produce  the  men  ? 

29.   An  honourable  conduct  .    .   .  37.  the  manage  of  two  kingdoms] 

have]  In  Troublesome  Raigne,  1.  i.  61  i.e.     those    who    manage    the     two 

et  seq.  John  says  : —  kingdoms,  the   powers,  the   authori- 

"  Pembroke,  convay  him  safely  to  ties.      Compare  note  on  line  17  supra. 

the  sea,  Fleay  wished  to  treat  it  as  a  plural 

But  not  in  hast :  for  as  we  are  noun,  but  if  we  take  it  in  the  more 

advisde  abstract  sense  this  is  unnecessary. 
We  mean  to  be   in   France   as  38.  fearful-bloody]  Mr.  Craig  sug- 
soone  as  he."  gests  the  hyphen — a  typically  Shake- 
Shakespeare    does   not    ascribe   this  spearian  compound, 
petty  treachery  to  John.  Enter    a    Sheriff]    The     Trouble- 
29.  conduct]  safe  conduct.  some  Raigne,  Part  i.,  has  the  stage- 


6  KING  JOHN  [act  i. 

K.  John.  Let  them  approach. 

Our  abbeys  and  our  priories  shall  pay 
This  expedition's  charge. 

Enter  Robert  Faulconbridge,  and  Philip  his  bastard 

brother. 

What  men  are  you? 

Bast.  Your  faithful  subject  I,  a  gentleman  50 

Born  in  Northamptonshire,  and  eldest  son, 
As  I  suppose,  to  Robert  Faulconbridge, 
A  soldier,  by  the  honour-giving  hand 
Of  Cceur-de-lion  knighted  in  the  field. 

K.John.  What  art  thou?  55 

Rob.  The  son  and  heir  to  that  same  Faulconbridge. 

K.John.  Is  that  the  elder,  and  art  thou  the  heir? 
You  came  not  of  one  mother  then,  it  seems. 

Bast.  Most  certain  of  one  mother,  mighty  king ; 

That  is  well  known ;  and,  as  I  think,  one  father :    60 
But  for  the  certain  knowledge  of  that  truth 
I  put  you  o'er  to  heaven  and  to  my  mother : 
Of  that  I  doubt,  as  all  men's  children  may. 

49.  expedition's]  expeditious  F  i ;  Fleay  keeps  this  reading.  54.  Cceur- 

de-lion]  Ff  and  Troublesome  Raigne  spell  Richard's  appellation  Cordelion. 

direction,    "  Enter   the    Shrive,   and  some  Raigne  than  in  King  John.     In 

whispers  the  Earl  of  Sals,  in  the  eare."  Bale's  Kynge  Johan  John  is  always 

Capell   introduced   this   into   Shake-  harping  on  the  riches  of  the  Church, 

speare's  play,  substituting  "  Essex  "  See  Introduction, 

for  "  Salisbury."     Some  such  device  54.    knighted   .   .    .  field]  To    be 

is  necessary,  unless  we  assume  that  knighted  in  the  field  was  an  honour 

Shakespeare    wishes    us    to    believe  given  only   to  the   bravest   fighters, 

that  Essex  had   previous  knowledge  See  Gautier's  La  Chevalerie  for  in- 

of  the  Sheriffs  business.  stances  (pp.  253,  254).    Compare  also 

48,    49.    Our    abbeys  .   .  .  charge]  Cymbeline,  v.  v.  20. 

This  pillaging  of  the  Church  plays  62.  put  you  o'er  to]  refer  you  to. 
a  much  larger  part   in  the  Trouble- 


sc. 


i]  KING  JOHN 


Eli.  Out  on  thee,  rude  man  !  thou  dost  shame  thy  mother 
And  wound  her  honour  with  this  diffidence.  65 

Bast.  I,  madam  ?  no,  I  have  no  reason  for  it ; 

That  is  my  brother's  plea  and  none  of  mine ; 
The  which  if  he  can  prove,  a'  pops  me  out 
At  least  from  fair  five  hundred  pound  a  year: 
Heaven  guard  my  mother's  honour  and  my  land !    70 

K.  John.  A  good  blunt  fellow.     Why,  being  younger  born, 
Doth  he  lay  claim  to  thine  inheritance? 

Bast.  I  know  not  why,  except  to  get  the  land. 
But  once  he  slander'd  me  with  bastardy: 
But  whether  I  be  as  true  begot  or  no,  75 

That  still  I  lay  upon  my  mother's  head ; 
But  that  I  am  as  well  begot,  my  liege, — 
Fair  fall  the  bones  that  took  the  pains  for  me ! — 
Compare  our  faces  and  be  judge  yourself. 
If  old  sir  Robert  did  beget  us  both  80 

75.  whether]  Ff  1-3  have  where  for  whether  according  to  the  pro- 
nunciation. 

64.  rude  man]  m  rude-man.  Com-  would  then  require  alteration  to 
pare  "rudesby"  in  Taming  of  the  "slanders."  There  seems  no  ade- 
Shrew,  111.  ii.  10,  and  Twelfth  Night,  quate  reason  for  rejecting  the  obvious 
iv.  i.  55.  Mr.  Craig  suggests  read-  meaning  of  "once" — in  time  past, 
ing  "Out,  out  on  thee,  rude  man!  "Slander'd"  does  not  here  neces- 
Dost  shame  thy  mother  I  "  sarily  imply  falseness  of  accusation 

65.  diffidence]  obsolete  sense  of  as  it  does  nowadays,  but  accusation 
"  mistrust."       Compare   King   Lear,     merely. 

1.    ii.    161 :      "  heedless     diffidences,  74-78.  But]  Vaughan  suggests  that 

banishment  of  friends,  dissipation  of  three    initial    "buts"    in    five   lines 

cohorts."  could   not    be    due   to    Shakespeare. 

69.   pound]  The   singular  is  often  He  would  put  line  76  in  brackets,  and 

used  for  the  plural  by  Shakespeare  in  read  "  Yet  "  for  "  But  "  in  line  77. 

these   cases.      Here   it  adds    to  the  78.  Fair  fall]  fair  hap  befal.     Com- 

colloquialism  of  the  Bastard's  speech,  pare  Richard  III.  1.  iii.  282  :  "  Now 

who  also  uses  the  colloquial  a'  for  fair  befal  thee  and  thy  noble  house  "  ; 

he.  Beaumont  and  Fletcher,  The  Captain, 

74.  once]  Delius  would  take  "  once  "  iii.  3  :  "  Fair  fall  thy  sweet  face  for 

as  equivalent  to  "once  for  all."     Mr.  it";    Burns'    Lines     to  a    Haggis: 

Wright    objects,      for     "slander'd"  "  Fair  fa'  thy  honest  sonsie  face." 


s 


KING  .JOHN 


[act  I. 


And  were  our  father  and  this  son  like  him, 

0  old  sir  Robert,  father,  on  my  knee 

1  give  heaven  thanks  I  was  not  like  to  thee! 

K.  John.  Why,    what    a    madcap    hath    heaven    lent    us 

here! 
Eli.  He  hath  a  trick  of  Cceur-de-lion's  face;  85 

The  accent  of  his  tongue  affecteth  him. 

Do  you  not  read  some  tokens  of  my  son 

In  the  large  composition  of  this  man? 
K.  John.  Mine  eye  hath  well  examined  his  parts 

And  finds  them  perfect  Richard.     Sirrah,  speak,     90 

What  doth  move  you  to  claim  your  brother's  land? 
Bast.  Because  he  hath  a  half-face,  like  my  father. 


84.  lent]  sent  Hudson  (Heath  conj.). 
year  I]  father?  .  .  .  land,  .  .  .  year? 


92-94. 


year?  Ff  3,  4;  father, 
.  .  .  year  I  Theobald. 


land 


^4.  father.  .  .  .  land :  .  .  . 
Ff  i,   2 ;  father,   .  .  .   land,   .   .   . 
year.  Capell ;  father,  .  .  .  land  ? 


85.  He  hath  a  trick]  Vaughan  would 
prefer  to  read  "  the  trick."  As  it 
stands  it  means  "  He  hath  a  copy  of 
Cceur-de-lion's  face  " ;  "  trick"  being 
a  heraldic  term  for  a  pen-and-ink 
copy  of  a  coat-of-arms.  "  Tricked  : 
sketched  in  outline  with  pen  and 
ink "  (Boutell's  Heraldry,  p.  84). 
Compare  "Copy  of  the  father,  eye, 
nose,  lip,  The  trick  of 's  frown  "  (The 
Winter's  Tale,  11.  iii.  100) ;  "  The 
trick  of  that  voice  I  do  well  remem- 
ber "  (King  Lear,  iv.  vi.  108),  which 
seem  to  be  less  pertinent  examples, 
where  "trick  "  is  used  in  the  more 
modern  sense  of  "  peculiarity." 

86.  affecteth]  resembleth.  There 
is  no  other  example  of  this  use  in 
Shakespeare. 

88.  large  composition]  big  build. 
Compare  1  Henry  VI.  11.  iii.  75  : 
"  You  did  mistake  The  outward  com- 
position of  his  body "  ;  and  Lyly's 
Euphues  (ed.  Arber,  p.  293,  line  6) : 


"  disposition  of  the  mind  follows  com- 
position of  the  body." 

92,  94.  half-face]  profile.  For 
"half  that  face  "  (line  93)  Theobald 
reads  "  that  half-face " ;  Vaughan 
suggests  "half  a  face,"  and  another 
conjecture  is  "  half  the  face."  Theo- 
bald's reading  seems  to  be  the  most 
rational.  Half-faced  groat :  a  groat 
with  the  sovereign's  face  in  profile. 
Compare  Boorde,  Introduction  to 
Knowledge  (quoted  in  New  Eng. 
Diet.):  "They  have  half -face 
crowns."  There  seems  to  be  at 
least  a  suggestion  of  contempt  in  the 
use  of  the  term.  Compare  2  Henry 
IV.  in.  ii.  283  :  "  And  this  same  half- 
faced  fellow,  Shadow  .  .  .  the  foe- 
man  may  with  as  great  aim  level  at 
the  edge  of  a  penknife";  and  Mun- 
day's  Downfall  of  Richard  Earl  of 
Huntington  (quoted  in  Ntw  Eng. 
Diet.) :  "  You  halffac'd  groat !  You 
thick-  (?  thin-)  cheek'd  chittiface." 


sc.  i.]  KING  JOHN  9 

With  half  that  face  would  he  have  all  my  land : 
A  half-faced  groat  five  hundred  pound  a  year! 

Rob.  My  gracious  liege,  when  that  my  father  lived,        95 
Your  brother  did  employ  my  father  much, — 

Bast.  Well  sir,  by  this  you  cannot  get  my  land : 

Your  tale  must  be  how  he  employ'd  my  mother. 

Rob.  And  once  dispatch'd  him  in  an  embassy 

To  Germany,  there  with  the  emperor  100 

To  treat  of  high  affairs  touching  that  time. 

The  advantage  of  his  absence  took  the  king 

And  in  the  mean  time  sojourn'd  at  my  father's ; 

Where  how  he  did  prevail  I  shame  to  speak, 

But  truth  is  truth :  large  lengths  of  seas  and  shores  105 

Between  my  father  and  my  mother  lay, 

As  I  have  heard  my  father  speak  himself, 

When  this  same  lusty  gentleman  was  got. 

Upon  his  death-bed  he  by  will  bequeath'd 

His  lands  to  me,  and  took  it  on  his  death  no 

That  this  my  mother's  son  was  none  of  his ; 

And  if  he  were,  he  came  into  the  world 

Full  fourteen  weeks  before  the  course  of  time. 

Then,  good  my  liege,  let  me  have  what  is  mine, 

My  father's  land,  as  was  my  father's  will.  115 

100.  the  emperor]  Henry  VI.  this  wound  on  the  thigh."  Owing 
no.  took  it  on  his  death]  my  to  the  mention  of  "death-bed"  in 
father  swore  most  solemnly.  This  line  109,  Steevens  explains  it  as 
phrase,  often  met  with  in  Elizabethan  "entertained  it  as  his  fixed  opinion 
literature,  implies  that  the  person  when  he  was  dying."  Vaughan 
swearing  used  the  most  solemn  form  takes  it  to  mean  "  engaged  to  be  re- 
of  words  known  to  him.  Compare  sponsible  for  it  as  for  a  statement 
the  modern  phrase  "  May  I  die  if  made  at  the  approach  of  death," 
..."  Falstaff  could  use  this  for-  which  seems  to  be  exactly  the  mean- 
mula  without  fear  on  one  point  only,  ing  here.  "Oath"  has  been  need- 
See  1  Henry  IV.  v.  iv.  154:  "I'll  lessly  suggested  for  " death." 
take  it  upon  my  death,  I  gave  him 


10  KING  JOHN  [act  i. 

K.  John.  Sirrah,  your  brother  is  legitimate ; 

Your  father's  wife  did  after  wedlock  bear  him, 
And  if  she  did  play  false,  the  fault  was  hers  ; 
Which  fault  lies  on  the  hazards  of  all  husbands 
That  marry  wives.     Tell  me,  how  if  my  brother,  120 
Who,  as  you  say,  took  pains  to  get  this  son, 
Had  of  your  father  claim'd  this  son  for  his? 
In  sooth,  good  friend,  your  father  might  have  kept 
This  calf,  bred  from  his  cow,  from  all  the  world  ; 
In  sooth  he  might ;  then,  if  he  were  my  brother's,  125 
My  brother  might  not  claim  him ;  nor  your  father, 
Being  none  of  his,  refuse  him  :  this  concludes ; 
My  mother's  son  did  get  your  father's  heir ; 
Your  father's  heir  must  have  your  father's  land. 

Rob.  Shall  then  my  father's  will  be  of  no  force  130 

To  dispossess  that  child  which  is  not  his? 

Bast.  Of  no  more  force  to  dispossess  me,  sir, 
Than  was  his  will  to  get  me,  as  I  think. 

Eli.  Whether  hadst  thou  rather  be  a  Faulconbridge, 

And  like  thy  brother,  to  enjoy  thy  land,  135 

Or  the  reputed  son  of  Cceur-de-lion, 
Lord  of  thy  presence  and  no  land  beside? 

Bast.  Madam,  an  if  my  brother  had  my  shape, 

134.  rather  .  .  .  Faulconbridge]  rather, — be  Capell ;  be?  a  Vaughan  conj. 
138.  an  if]  The  Folios  read  and  if  lot  an  if  continually. 

119.    lies  on  the   hazards,  etc.]   is  possess  land,  or  to  be  reputed  the  son 

among  the   risks  all   husbands  must  of  Cceur-de-lion,  keeping  his  present 

run.  appearance,    and    having    no    land. 

137.  Lordof thy  presence]"  continu-  The  phrase  will  also  bear  the  mean- 
ing to  possess  precisely  the  same  ing  of  "  Lord  from  thy  very  appear- 
figure and  face  which  you  now  have "  ance,"  that  is,  "your  mere  appear - 
(Vaughan).  As  Vaughan  points  out,  ance  would  tell  people  that  you  were 
"  whether"  proposes  two  alternatives  nobly  born."  But  compare  11.  i.  367 
— to  be  like  the   legitimate  son  and  infra. 


SC.    I.] 


KING  JOHN 


11 


And  I  had  his,  sir  Robert's  his,  like  him ; 

And  if  my  legs  were  two  such  riding-rods,  140 

My  arms  such  eel-skins  stuff  d,  my  face  so  thin 

That  in  mine  ear  I  durst  not  stick  a  rose 

Lest   men   should   say   "  Look,    where    three-farthings 


goes 


!" 


And,  to  his  shape,  were  heir  to  all  this  land, 
Would  I  might  never  stir  from  off  this  place, 
I  would  give  it  every  foot  to  have  this  face ; 
I  would  not  be  sir  Nob  in  any  case. 
Eli.  I  like  thee  well :  wilt  thou  forsake  thy  fortune, 
Bequeath  thy  land  to  him  and  follow  me  ? 
I  am  a  soldier  and  now  bound  to  France. 


145 


150 


139.  sir  Robert's  his]  This  is  treated 
by  Schmidt  and  Mr.  Moore-Smith  as 
a  double  genitive.  It  may  be  so  ex- 
plained, and  be  quite  in  keeping  with 
the  Bastard's  colloquial  roughness  of 
speech.  Vaughan  would  read  "just 
Sir  Robert's  shape,"  or  "just  Sir 
Robert  his."  The  meaning  is  obvious 
— "  if  my  brother  had  my  shape  and 
I  had  his."  Again,  we  may  suppose 
the  Bastard  to  be  literally  pointing 
the  finger  of  scorn  at  his  brother  at 
the  words  "  his,  like  him." 

140.  riding-rods]  switches.  Com- 
pare Cotgrave,  "  Houssine :  a  switch, 
...  a  riding  rod  of  holly ;  an  holly 
wand."  Compare  Two  Angry  Women 
(1597),  ii.  53  :  "And  if  he  give  her 
[a  horse]  but  a  nod,  She  thinks  it  is 
a  riding  rod." 

141.  eel-skins]  Compare  2  Henry 
IV.  m.  ii.  351:  "You  might  have 
thrust  him  and  all  his  apparel  into  an 
eel  skin." 

143.  three-farthings]  Pieces  of  this 
value  were  coined  in  Elizabeth's  reign 
for  the  first  and  last  time  in  the 
history  of  English  coinage.  As  the 
smaller  coins  were  of  values  closely 
approximating  to  one  another,  the 
odd   and  alternate   pieces  were  dis- 


tinguished by  a  rose  or  rosette  behind 
the   head  of  the  queen.     The  three- 
farthings  was  so  marked  (see  Haw- 
kins, Silver  Coins  of  England,    2nd 
ed.,  under  "  Elizabeth "),  hence  the 
point  of  the  allusion  in  Beaumont  and 
Fletcher's  Scornful  Lady,  111.  ii. : — 
"  He    had   a    bastard,     his    own 
toward  issue, 
Whipp'd  and  then  cropp'd, 
For   washing  out   the   roses   in 

three-farthings 
To  make  'em  pence." 

144.  And,  to  his  shape,  .  .  .  land] 
and  in  addition  to  having  his  appear- 
ance were  heir  to  all  this  land  that 
is  in  question.  The  "  this,"  which 
Vaughan  would  alter,  with  great  pro- 
bability, to  "his,"  may  be  a  collo- 
quialism. 

145.  Would  .  .  .  stir]  Compare 
The  Merry  Wives  of  Windsor,  v.  v. 
199  :  "  If  I  did  not  think  it  had  been 
Anne  Page,  would  I  might  never 
stir.1'' 

147.  I  would  not]  The  first  Folio 
reads  It  would  not,  which  Delius  re- 
tains, believing  that  it  refers  to 
"  face." 

147.  Nob]  diminutive  of  Robert, 
used  contemptuously  by  the  Bastard. 


12  KING  JOHN  [act  i. 

Bast.  Brother,  take  you  my  land,  I'll  take  my  chance. 

Your  face  hath  got  five  hundred  pound  a  year, 

Yet  sell  your  face  for  five  pence  and  'tis  dear. 

Madam,  I  '11  follow  you  unto  the  death. 
Eli.  Nay,   I  would  have  you  go  before  me  thither.        155 
Bast.  Our  country  manners  give  our  betters  way. 
K.  John.  What  is  thy  name? 
Bast.  Philip,  my  liege,  so  is  my  name  begun ; 

Philip,  good  old  sir  Robert's  wife's  eldest  son. 
K.  John.    From    henceforth    bear   his    name    whose    form 
thou  bear'st:  160 

Kneel  thou  down  Philip,  but  rise  more  great, 

Arise  sir  Richard  and  Plantagenet. 
Bast.  Brother  by  the  mother's  side,  give  me  your  hand  : 

My  father  gave  me  honour,  yours  gave  land. 

Now  blessed  be  the  hour,  by  night  or  day,  165 

When  I  was  got,  sir  Robert  was  away ! 
Eli.  The  very  spirit  of  Plantagenet ! 

I  am  thy  grandam,  Richard ;  call  me  so. 
Bast.  Madam,  by  chance  but  not  by  truth ;  what  though  ? 

Something  about,  a  little  from  the  right,  170 

In  at  the  window,  or  else  o'er  the  hatch : 

161.  Kneel  .  .  .  great]  The  line  is  defective.  Pope,  rise  up ;  Steevens, 
arise  ;  Keightley,  to  rise. 

169.       truth]  =  honesty  =  honour-  '*  Go  not  about,  my  love  hath  in  't 

able  conduct.  a  bond 

169.  what  though?]  what  of  that?  Whereof  the  world  takes  note." 
what  matters  it  ?     Common  in  Shake-  This  speech  consists  of  references  to 
speare.     See  As  You  Like  It,  in.  iii.  the  Bastard's  illegitimacy  wrapped  up 
51;    Merry  Wives  0/  Windsor,  1.  i.  in  everyday  phrases  and  proverbs. 
286  ;  Henry  V.  11.  i.  9.  171.  o'er  the  hatch]  over  the  lower 

170.  Something  about]  something  half  of  a  door  which  opened  in  two 
indirect,  not  straightforward.  Com-  parts,  like  the  door  of  most  country 
pare  All 's  Well  that  Ends  Well,  1.  smithies  to-day.  Compare  Webster, 
iii.  194:—  Northward  Ho,  i.  1:  "Kindred  that 

comes  in  o'er  the  hatch." 


sc.  i]  KING  JOHN  13 

Who  dares  not  stir  by  day  must  walk  by  night, 
And  have  is  have,  however  men  do  catch : 

Near  or  far  off,  well  won  is  still  well  shot, 

And  I  am  I,  howe'er  I  was  begot  175 

K.  John.  Go,  Faulconbridge :  now  hast  thou  thy  desire ; 

A  landless  knight  makes  thee  a  landed  squire. 

Come,  madam,  and  come,  Richard,  we  must  speed 

For  France,  for  France,  for  it  is  more  than  need. 
Bast.  Brother,  adieu:  good  fortune  come  to  thee!         180 

For  thou  wast  got  i'  the  way  of  honesty. 

\Exeunt  all  but  Bastard. 

A  foot  of  honour  better  than  I  was ; 

But  many  a  many  foot  of  land  the  worse. 

Well,  now  can  I  make  any  Joan  a  lady.  184 

"Good  den,  sir  Richard!" — " God-a-mercy,  fellow!" — 

And  if  his  name  be  George,  I  '11  call  him  Peter ; 

For  new-made  honour  doth  forget  men's  names; 

183.  many  a  many]  Hanmer  reads  John  and  his  Joan  " ;  and  Love's 
"many,  many  a,"  and  Collier,  ed.  2  Labour's  Lost,  in.  i.  207:  "Some 
(Collier  MS.),  •'  many,  ah  I  many  a."  men  must  love  my  lady  and  some 
The   emendations   are   needless,   for  Joan." 

a  many  was  often  used  where  we  use  185.     Good     den]     good-evening, 

many    a,    e.g.    Massinger's     Virgin  good-even,  good-e'en,  good-den,  and 

Martyr,  ii.   2 :    "  Honesty  is    some  sometimes    "  god-den,"    e.g.   Henry 

fiend,  and  frights  him  hence ;  A  many  V.  m.  ii.  89  :  "  God-den  to  your  wor- 

courtiers  love  it  not";  Edward  III.  ship,  good  captain  James." 

in.     iii.     162     (Temple    ed.):     "As  185.    God-a-mercy]  This  was  the 

'twere   a  many  over -ridden  jades";  salutation  of  a  superior  to  an  inferior. 

ibid.  iii.  4  (stage-direction) ;  "  Enter  This  perhaps  is  most  plainly  seen  in 

a    many   Frenchmen  flying."     This  A  rden  of  Feversham,  where  there  are 

passage,  like  so  many  others,  is  quite  many  examples, 

in  keeping  with  the  Bastard's  char-  187.   For  new-made    honour,    etc.] 

acter  and  needs  no  emendation.  new-made  honour  doth  forget  men's 

184.  Joan]  Used  as  a  common  names ;  to  remember  them  is  to  do 
noun.  "  A  generic  name  for  a  female  them  too  much  honour,  and  is  too 
rustic "  (New  Eng.  Diet.).  It  was  sociable  for  one  who  has  suddenly 
a  common  peasant  name.  Compare  been  promoted  to  a  high  position. 
Gosson's  Schoole  of  Abuse  (Arber's  The  Bastard  then  goes  on  to  suppose 
Reprints,    No.  iii.  p.    35) :   "  Every  himself  seated  at  dinner  with  a  tra- 


14  KING  JOHN  [act  i. 

Tis  too  respective  and  too  sociable 

For  your  conversion.     Now  your  traveller, 

He  and  his  toothpick  at  my  worship's  mess,  190 

And  when  my  knightly  stomach  is  sufficed, 

Why  then  I  suck  my  teeth  and  catechize 

My  picked  man  of  countries :  "  My  dear  sir," 

Thus,  leaning  on  mine  elbow,  I  begin, 

"  I  shall  beseech  you  " — that  is  question  now ;        195 

And  then  comes  answer  like  an  Absey  book : 

11 0  sir,"  says  answer,  "  at  your  best  command ; 

At  your  employment ;  at  your  service,  sir : " 

"No,  sir,"  says  question,  "I,  sweet  sir,  at  yours:" 

And  so,  ere  answer  knows  what  question  would,   200 

Saving  in  dialogue  of  compliment, 

And  talking  of  the  Alps  and  Apennines, 

The  Pyrenean  and  the  river  Po, 

203.  Pyrenean]  Perennean  F  1  ;  Pyrennean  Ff  2,  3,  4 ;  Pyreneans  Collier, 
ed.  2  (Collier  MS.). 

veiled  man.     Holt   White,  followed        201.    Saving]    Theobald,    after    a 

by    Mr.    Wright,   believes    "picked  conjecture    of    Warburton's,     reads 

man  of  countries"  to  mean  "  travelled  Serving.     Vaughan,   in    Notes    and 

fop,"  while  Steevens  and  others  take  Queries  (1882)  suggests  Sharing  or 

"  of    countries "    as    equivalent    to  Halving  or   Salving ;    while  in   his 

"about    countries"   and    depending  1886  edition    he    says:    "The    line 

upon    "  catechize."      The   toothpick  should   certainly   run :    '  Salving   in 

was  a  sign  of  travelled  foppishness,  dialogue  of  compliment '  "  ;  the  idea 

The  "  mess "  seems  to  have  been   a  being  that    the    two   speakers   were 

table  laid  for  four,  guests  at  a  great  merely     soothing    one    another    by 

dinner  being  arranged  in   fours  (see  bandying  compliments.     If  we  take 

Dyce-Littledale).     Malone  takes  "at  the   line   as  it  stands — "Before  the 

my  worship's  mess"  to   mean   "At  answering  man  knows  what  the  ques- 

that  part  of  the  table  where  I,  as  a  tioner    would,    except   in   so  far  as 

knight,    shall    be    placed,"   that    is,  customary  complimentary  retorts  are 

above  the  salt  (ibid.).     The  "Absey  concerned"  —  we   leave    "And   so" 

book  "  was  the  ABC  book  or  primer,  in    the    air ;   but   having   regard   to 

which  often  included  the  Catechism,  the   looseness    of   structure    of   the 

193.  picked]  finikin.  Compare  Lyly,  whole  speech,  this  may  not  be   im- 

Euphues  (ed.  Arber,  p.  277,  line  27) :  possible.     We  may  shuffle  out  of  the 

"  then  they   used  to    woo    in   plain  difficulty   by   suspecting   a   dropped 

terms,  now  in  piked  sentences."  line. 


sc.  i]  KING  JOHN  15 

It  draws  toward  supper  in  conclusion  so. 

But  this  is  worshipful  society,  205 

And  fits  the  mounting  spirit  like  myself; 

For  he  is  but  a  bastard  to  the  time 

That  doth  not  smack  of  observation ; 

And  so  am  I,  whether  I  smack  or  no ; 

And  not  alone  in  habit  and  device,  210 

Exterior  form,  outward  accoutrement, 

But  from  the  inward  motion  to  deliver 

Sweet,  sweet,  sweet  poison  for  the  age's  tooth: 

Which,  though  I  will  not  practise  to  deceive, 

Yet,  to  avoid  deceit,  I  mean  to  learn ;  215 

For  it  shall  strew  the  footsteps  of  my  rising. 

But  who  comes  in  such  haste  in  riding-robes? 

What  woman-post  is  this  ?  hath  she  no  husband 

That  will  take  pains  to  blow  a  horn  before  her? 

Enter  Lady  Faulconbridge  and  James  Gurney. 

O  me !  it  is  my  mother.     How  now,  good  lady  ?    220 
What  brings  you  here  to  court  so  hastily? 
Lady  F.  Where  is  that  slave,  thy  brother?  where  is  he, 
That  holds  in  chase  mine  honour  up  and  down? 

204.  toward]  Ff  i,  2 ;  towards  Ff  3,  4.  208,  209.  smack  .  .  .  smack] 

Theobald's  emendation  ;    smoake  .  .  .  smacke  Ff  1,  2  ;   smoak  .  .  .  smack 
Ff  3,  4  ;  smack  .  .  .  smoak  Pope.         220.  it  is]  Pope ;  'tis  Ff. 

207.  For  he  is  but  a  bastard,  etc.]  208.  observation]  the  observing  of 

For  he  is  but  a  bastard  to  this  age  the  wishes  of  others,  i.e.  obsequious- 

who  is  not  a  little  obsequious.     But  ness. 

I  am  a  bastard  in  any  case,  not  in  212.  inward  motion]  "  movements  " 

appearance  alone  but  inwardly  also,  of  the  mind.    Compare  Lyly,  Euphues 

for  I  will  not  use  flattery.     I  shall  (ed.Arber, p. 236,line 25):  "carried the 

learn  it  though  ;  not  to  deceive  others  motion  of  his  mind  in  his  manners." 

but  to  avoid  being  deceived,  for  as  I  213.    sweet   .   .   .    tooth]  Compare 

rise  flattery  will  be  strewn  before  me  Lyly,  Euphues  (ed.  Arber,  p.  34,  line 

like  flowers  before  one  making  a  pro-  27) :    "  followed  unbridled  affection, 

gress.  most  pleasant  for  his  tooth." 


16 


KING  JOHN 


[act  I. 


Bast.  My  brother  Robert  ?  old  sir  Robert's  son  ? 

Colbrand  the  giant,  that  same  mighty  man?  225 

Is  it  sir  Robert's  son  that  you  seek  so? 
Lady  F.  Sir  Robert's  son !     Ay,  thou  unreverend  boy, 

Sir  Robert's  son :  why  scorn'st  thou  at  sir  Robert  ? 

He  is  sir  Robert's  son,  and  so  art  thou. 
Bast.  James  Gurney,  wilt  thou  give  us  leave  awhile  ?    230 
Gur.  Good  leave,  good  Philip. 
Bast.  Philip  !  sparrow :  James, 

There 's  toys  abroad  :  anon  I  '11  tell  thee  more. 

[Exit  Gurney. 

Madam,  I  was  not  old  sir  Robert's  son : 

Sir  Robert  might  have  eat  his  part  in  me 


232.  toys]  noise  Gould  conj. 

225.  Colbrand  the  giant]  A  popular 
giant  and  "bug"  in  Elizabethan 
times.  Compare  Ralph  Roister 
Doister,  l.  ii.  123  :  "  Who  is  this  ? 
Great  Goliah,  Sampson  or  Col- 
brand " ;  and  Henry  VIII.  v.  iv.  22  : 
"  I  am  not  Samson,  nor  Sir  Guy, 
nor  Colbrand  To  mow  'em  down  be- 
fore me."  He  was  one  of  the 
mightiest  giants  overthrown  by  Guy 
of  Warwick.  He  had  been  brought 
by  the  Danes  as  their  champion  from 
Africa,  and  was  overthrown  by  Guy 
before  King  Athelstan  at  Winchester. 
(See  the  fifteenth  century  version  of 
Guy  of  Warwick,  ed.  Zupitza,  Early 
English  Text  Society,  1876.) 

231.  Philip  I  sparrow]The  sparrow 
from  its  chirp  was  often  called  Philip 
or  Phip.  We  may  remember  Skel- 
ton's  Boke  of  Phyllip  Sparowe  ;  and 
Sidney's  Astrophel  and  Stella  (ed. 
Grosart,  i.  109,  no)  (To  a  Sparrow) : 
"  Good  brother  Philip  "  and  "  Leave 
that  Syr  Phip " ;  and  "  ad  solam 
dominam  usque  pipiabat "  (Lesbia's 
Sparrow,  Catullus).  The  Bastard  is 
now  no  longer  Philip  Faulconbridge 


but  Sir  Richard  Plantagenet,  and  is 
playfully  rebuking  Gurney  for  calling 
him  by  his  old  name,  at  the  same 
time  raising  his  curiosity  which  he 
promises  to  satisfy  later.  Theobald's 
(Warburton's)  and  Grey's  readings — 
Philip, — spare  me,  and  Philip — spare 
oh  I — are  amusing. 

232.  toys]  Compare  Edward  III. 
iv.  iii.  83 :  **  But  all  are  frivolous 
fancies,  toys  and  dreams."  As 
Steevens  says,  Shakespeare  uses  the 
word  with  great  latitude.  Here  it 
seems  to  mean  rumours.  Compare 
The  Winter's  Tale,  m.  iii.  39 : 
"  Dreams  are  toys  "  ;  and  Midsummer- 
Night's  Dream,  v.  i.  3  :  "I  never  may 
believe  These  antique  fables  nor  these 
fairy  toys."  The  broad  meaning, 
"  imaginary  things,"  would  cover  all 
these  uses. 

234»  235-  ea*  •  •  •  Z01']  Prover- 
bial. Compare  Heywood's  Proverbs 
(1564),  ed.  Sharman  (1874) :  "  He 
may  his  part  on  good  Fridaie  eate, 
And  fast  never  the  wurs,  for  ought  he 
shall  geate." 


sc.  i]  KING  JOHN  17 

Upon  Good-Friday  and  ne'er  broke  his  fast :  235 

Sir  Robert  could  do  well :  marry,  to  confess, 
Could  he  get  me?     Sir  Robert  could  not  do  it: 
We  know  his  handiwork :  therefore,  good  mother, 
To  whom  am  I  beholding  for  these  limbs? 
Sir  Robert  never  holp  to  make  this  leg.  240 

Lady  F.  Hast  thou  conspired  with  thy  brother  too, 

That  for  thine  own  gain  shouldst  defend  mine  honour  ? 
What  means  this  scorn,  thou  most  untoward  knave? 

Bast.  Knight,  knight,  good  mother,  Basilisco-like. 

What !  I  am  dubb'd !  I  have  it  on  my  shoulder.    245 

But,  mother,  I  am  not  sir  Robert's  son ; 

I  have  disclaim'd  sir  Robert  and  my  land ; 

Legitimation,  name  and  all  is  gone: 

Then,  good  my  mother,  let  me  know  my  father; 

Some  proper  man,  I  hope :  who  was  it,  mother  ?  25a 

Lady  F.  Hast  thou  denied  thyself  a  Faulconbridge  ? 

Bast.  As  faithfully  as  I  deny  the  devil. 

236,  237.    Sir    Robert  .  .  .  do  if]  Compare  The  Taming  of  the  Shrew, 

Vaughan  suggests  a  plausible  altera-  iv.  v.  79  :  "  If  she  be  froward,  Then 

tion  in  the  punctuation : —  thou  hast  taught  Hortensio  to  be  un- 

"Sir     Robert     could     do     well,  toward." 

(Marry,  to  confess,)  244.  Basilisco-like]   Theobald  first 

Could  he   get  me.     Sir   Robert  pointed    out   the  allusion  to    Kyd's 

could  not  do  it."  Soliman  and  Perseda  : — 
The  meaning  is  plain  and  is  prefer-         "  Bas.  I.the  aforesaid  Basilisco, — 
able  to  that  of  the  generally  accepted  Knight,    good    fellow,    Knight, 

reading,  where  "  Sir  Robert  could  do  Knight, — 

well "  seems  meaningless  when  con-  Pist.  Knave,  good  fellow,  Knave, 

trasted    with    the    next    line,   while  Knave." 

"  marry,  to  confess,"  has  to  be  treated  A  large   early  cannon  was  called  a 

as  a  mere  cliche.    Keightley  reads  "  to  basilisco  or  basilisk, 
confess  the  truth,"  and  Dyce,  follow-         247,  248.  Robert    ...    15   gone] 

ing  the  Collier  MS.,  reads  "  could  not  Fleay,  after   a  conjecture  of  Sidney 

get  me,"  neither  of  which  is  satisfac-  Walker's,   reads   "  Robert ;   and   my 

tory.      The  Folios  read  "  Could  get  land,  Legitimation   name  and  all  is 

me  Sir  "  without  a  stop  after  "  me."  gone,"    an    improvement    certainly. 

The  reading  in  the  text  is  Pope's.  but  the  accepted  text  is  quite  sound 

243.     untoward]    bad  -  mannered,  in  meaning. 


18  KING  JOHN  [act  i. 

Lady  F.  King  Richard  Coeur-de-lion  was  thy  father: 
By  long  and  vehement  suit  I  was  seduced 
To  make  room  for  him  in  my  husband's  bed:       255 
Heaven  lay  not  my  transgression  to  my  charge! 
Thou  art  the  issue  of  my  dear  offence, 
Which  was  so  strongly  urged  past  my  defence. 

Bast.  Now,  by  this  light,  were  I  to  get  again, 

Madam,  I  would  not  wish  a  better  father.  260 

Some  sins  do  bear  their  privilege  on  earth, 

And  so  doth  yours ;  your  fault  was  not  your  folly : 

Needs  must  you  lay  your  heart  at  his  dispose, 

Subjected  tribute  to  commanding  love, 

Against  whose  fury  and  unmatched  force  265 

The  aweless  lion  could  not  wage  the  fight, 

Nor  keep  his  princely  heart  from  Richard's  hand. 

He  that  perforce  robs  lions  of  their  hearts 

May  easily  win  a  woman's.     Ay,  my  mother, 

With  all  my  heart  I  thank  thee  for  my  father!     270 

257.  Thou]  F  4  ;  That  Ff  1,  2,  3.         267.  hand]  hands  F  4. 

257.  Thou]  If  we  read   That  with  offence.     Compare  Richard  II.  1.  i. 

the  first  three  Folios,  then  it  seems  130: — 

necessary  to  read  thy  charge  with  "Upon  remainder  of  a  dear  ac- 
Staunton  and  Long  MS.  in  the  previ-  count." 

ous  line.  Delius  reads  That,  con-  266.  The  aweless  lion,  etc.]  Allud- 
necting  it  with  my  transgression  ing  to  the  legend  of  Cceur-de-lion. 
(Wright),  which  is  hardly  so  likely.  Richard,  being  in  the  clutches  of  the 
Evidence  and  probability  seem  equally  King  of  Almain,  is  to  be  put  to  death 
balanced  between  Lady  Faulcon-  by  a  fasting  lion.  The  beast,  however, 
bridge's  praying  that  she  should  not  is  nearly  felled  by  a  blow  from 
be  punished  for  her  transgression  Richard's  fist,  and  as  it  is  opening 
since  she  was  forced  into  it,  and  pray-  its  mouth  to  roar  previous  to  renew- 
ing that  her  transgression  should  not  ing  the  attack,  Richard  thrusts  his 
be  visited  upon  the  innocent  issue  of  arm  down  its  throat  and  tears  out 
it.  its  heart,  which  he  eats  later  before 

257.  dear  offence]  either  offence  for  the     assembled     court     (see     Ellis, 

which   I   have   paid  dearly   (as  Mr.  Early  Eng.  Mctr.  Romances,  pp.  296, 

Wright  suggests),  or  my  own  private  297). 


sc.  i.]  KING  JOHN  19 

Who  lives  and  dares  but  say  thou  didst  not  well 
When  I  was  got,  I  '11  send  his  soul  to  hell. 
Come,  lady,  I  will  show  thee  to  my  kin ; 

And  they  shall  say,  when  Richard  me  begot, 
If  thou  hadst  said  him  nay,  it  had  been  sin :         275 

Who  says  it  was,  he  lies;  I  say  'twas  not. 

[Exeunt. 

276.   Who   says   .    .    .    'twas   not]  (Vaughan).      Vaughan's    suggestion 

"The  stanza  is  nonsense  as  the  last  seems  quite  un-Shakespearian.     Still, 

line   now   stands.   .  .  .   Shakespeare  literally,  the  stanza  is  nonsense  in  its 

unquestionably  wrote : —  present    shape.       The    meaning    is 

1  If  thou  hadst  said  him  "  nay,"  obvious,  but  we  arrive  at  it  by  wrest- 

it  had  been  sin.  ing  round  the  "  it "  in  the  last  line  to 

Who  says  "ay  "was,  he  lies;  I  mean  Lady  Faulconbridge's  surrender 

say  'twas  not'  "  to  Cceur-de-lion. 


ACT  II 

SCENE  I. — France.     Before  Angiers. 

Enter  AUSTRIA  and  forces,  drums,  etc.,  on  one  side :  on 
the  other  King  PHILIP  of  France  and  his  power ; 
Lewis,  Arthur,  Constance,  and  attendants. 

Lew.  Before  Angiers  well  met,  brave  Austria. 
Arthur,  that  great  forerunner  of  thy  blood, 
Richard,  that  robb'd  the  lion  of  his  heart 
And  fought  the  holy  wars  in  Palestine, 
By  this  brave  Duke  came  early  to  his  grave:  5 

And  for  amends  to  his  posterity, 
At  our  importance  hither  is  he  come, 
To  spread  his  colours,  boy,  in  thy  behalf, 
And  to  rebuke  the  usurpation 

Of  thy  unnatural  uncle,  English  John:  10 

Embrace  him,  love  him,  give  him  welcome  hither. 

Arth.  God  shall  forgive  you  Cceur-de-lion's  death 
The  rather  that  you  give  his  offspring  life, 

Act  11.  Scene  /.]  This  is  the  second  "  Maria  writ 

scene  of  Act  1.  in  the  Folios.  The   letter  at   Sir  Toby's  great 

2.  great  forerunner]    Shakespeare  importance." 

is  here  in  error    if  "forerunner  "  is         13.  The  rather  that]  all  the  more 
taken  to  mean  direct  ancestor.   Cceur-    because.     Compare  Hamlet,  iv.   vii. 
de-lion   and   King    John  were  both     70 : — 
uncles  of  Arthur.  "  My  lord,  I  will  be  ruled ; 

7.  At    our    importance]  upon   our  The  rather,  if  you  could  devise  it 

importuning  him.     Compare  Twelfth  so 

Night,  v.  i.  371 : —  That  I  might  be  the  organ." 

20 


sc.  i]  KING  JOHN  21 

Shadowing  their  right  under  your  wings  of  war: 
I  give  you  welcome  with  a  powerless  hand,  15 

But  with  a  heart  full  of  unstained  love: 
Welcome  before  the  gates  of  Angiers,  duke. 

Lew.  A  noble  boy !     Who  would  not  do  thee  right  ? 

Aust.  Upon  thy  cheek  lay  I  this  zealous  kiss, 

As  seal  to  this  indenture  of  my  love,  20 

That  to  my  home  I  will  no  more  return, 

Till  Angiers  and  the  right  thou  hast  in  France, 

Together  with  that  pale,  that  white-faced  shore, 

Whose  foot  spurns  back  the  ocean's  roaring  tides 

And  coops  from  other  lands  her  islanders,  25 

Even  till  that  England,  hedged  in  with  the  main, 

That  water-walled  bulwark,  still  secure 

And  confident  from  foreign  purposes, 

Even  till  that  utmost  corner  of  the  west 

Salute  thee  for  her  king:  till  then,  fair  boy,  30 

Will  I  not  think  of  home,  but  follow  arms. 

Const.  O,  take  his  mother's  thanks,  a  widow's  thanks, 

Till  your  strong  hand  shall  help  to  give  him  strength 
To  make  a  more  requital  to  your  love ! 

29.  utmost]  Ff  1,  2,  3  ;  outmost  F  4. 

18.  do  thee  right]  take  thy  part.     A  chant  of  Venice,  v.  i.  97,  a  poetical 

common  Shakespearian  usage.  expression  which  may  be  rendered  as 

25.  coops]  protects  by  shutting  in.  "  the  continent  of  waters."  It  would 
So  3  Henry  VI.  v.  i.  109:  "Alas!  I  then  mark  the  transition  between 
am  not  coop'd  here  for  defence."  main  =  land  and  main  =  water. 
This  speech  recalls  Gaunt's  dying  Compare  "  Sailing  the  Spanish  main  " 
words  in  Richard  II.,  and  may  have  in  the  Wreck  of  the  Hesperus.  See 
some  bearing  on  the  question  of  the  also  Friar  Bacon  (1594),  ed.  Gayley. 
dating  of  King  John  and  Richard  II.  One  reading  of  1.  viii.  59,  60  has  : — 
See  Introduction.  "  And  draw  the  dolphins   to  thy 

26.  main]  Hakluyt  generally  used  lovely  eyes 

this  word   for   mainland.     We  have  To  daunce  lavoltas  in  the  purple 

"a   main   of  waters"  in    The  Mer-  main." 


22  KING  JOHN  [act  h. 

Aust.  The  peace  of  heaven  is  theirs  that  lift  their  swords 
In  such  a  just  and  charitable  war.  36 

K.  Phi.  Well  then,  to  work:  our  cannon  shall  be  bent 
Against  the  brows  of  this  resisting  town. 
Call  for  our  chiefest  men  of  discipline, 
To  cull  the  plots  of  best  advantages:  40 

We'll  lay  before  this  town  our  royal  bones, 
Wade  to  the  market-place  in  Frenchmen's  blood, 
But  we  will  make  it  subject  to  this  boy. 

Const.  Stay  for  an  answer  to  your  embassy, 

Lest  unadvised  you  stain  your  swords  with  blood :  45 
My  Lord  Chatillon  may  from  England  bring 
That  right  in  peace  which  here  we  urge  in  war, 
And  then  we  shall  repent  each  drop  of  blood 
That  hot  rash  haste  so  indirectly  shed. 

Enter  CHATILLON. 
K.  Phi.  A  wonder,  lady!  lo,  upon  thy  wish,  50 

Our  messenger  Chatillon  is  arrived ! 
What  England  says,  say  briefly,  gentle  lord  ; 
We  coldly  pause  for  thee ;  Chatillon,  speak. 

37.  work  :  our]  work,  our  F  4  ;  work  our  F  3 ;  worke  our  Ff  1,  2. 

37.  cannon]  To  avoid   the   anach-  Compare    The  Merchant  of  Venice, 

ronism  Pope  substituted    "engines"  iv.   i.  359: — 

for    "cannon,"    with    needless    pre-  "Indirectly  and  directly  too 

cision.  Thou  hast  contrived  against  the 

40.  To  cull,  etc.]  "either  to  select  very  life." 
positions  which  will  be  most  favour-  The  meaning  here  is  nearer  to  "  indis- 
able  to  us"  (Steevens,  Mr.  Wright),  creetly"  than  to  "  underhandedly," 
or  to  take  counsel  together,  to  discuss  although  precipitating  a  fight  before 
the  most  profitable  plans.  The  the  return  of  a  possibly  peaceful 
latter  explanation  seems  to  fall  in  answer  from  the  opponent  might  be 
more  with  calling  upon  the  "  chiefest  called  "indirection"  by  an  honour- 
men  of  discipline."  able  soldier.  Cotgrave  has  "  Indirecte- 

45.  unadvised]  unadvisedly,  hastily,  ment :    in-directly,    ...    by    unfit 

49.     indirectly]    generally     means  means." 
underhandedly       in        Shakespeare.        53.  coldly]  dispassionately. 


sc.  i]  KING  JOHN  23 

Chat.  Then  turn  your  forces  from  this  paltry  siege 

And  stir  them  up  against  a  mightier  task.  55 

England,  impatient  of  your  just  demands, 

Hath  put  himself  in  arms:  the  adverse  winds, 

Whose  leisure  I  have  stay'd,  have  given  him  time 

To  land  his  legions  all  as  soon  as  I ; 

His  marches  are  expedient  to  this  town,  60 

His  forces  strong,  his  soldiers  confident. 

With  him  along  is  come  the  mother-queen, 

An  Ate,  stirring  him  to  blood  and  strife; 

With  her  her  niece,  the  Lady  Blanch  of  Spain ; 

With  them  a  bastard  of  the  king's  deceased ;  65 

And  all  the  unsettled  humours  of  the  land, 

Rash,  inconsiderate,  fiery  voluntaries, 

With  ladies'  faces  and  fierce  dragons'  spleens, 

Have  sold  their  fortunes  at  their  native  homes, 

Bearing  their  birthrights  proudly  on  their  backs,      70 

70.  birthrights]  Ff  i,  2  ;  birthright  Ff  3,  4. 

60.  His  marches  .  .  .  town]  he  is  65.   a   bastard  .  .  .  deceased]  We 

marching  to  this  town  with   all   ex-  should   now  say  "a   bastard  of  the 

pedition.     See  line  223  infra : —  deceased    king's."      This     inversion 

"  Who   painfully   with   much   ex-  was  common  in  Elizabethan  writings, 

pedient  march  yet   it  was  apparently   corrected  in 

Have    brought   a    countercheck  Folios    2-4,    which    read     "  King." 

before  your  gates  "  ;  The  line  is  almost  verbally  the  same 

and  iv.  ii.  268  infra  : —  in  Troublesome  Raigne  :  "  Next  them 

"  to  my  closet  bring  a  bastard  of  the  King's  deceast." 

The    angry   lords   with   all   ex-  67.  voluntaries]  volunteers.     Com- 

pedient  haste."  pare      Cotgrave,      "  volontaire :      a 

63.  Ate]  Rowe's  famous  emendation  voluntarie,  one   that  serves  or  does 

of  the  Ace  of  the  Folios.     Compare  anything    without   pay    or    compul- 

yulius  Casar,  m.  i.  271 :  "  Caesar's  sion." 

spirit,  ranging  for  revenge,  With  Ate  68.     dragons'      spleens]     Compare 

by  his  side  come  hot  from  hell."     See  Richard  III.   v.   iii.   350:   "Inspire 

also  Friar  Bacon  (1594),  ed.  Gayley,  us  with  the  spleen  of  fiery  dragons." 

1.  x.  137  : —  The  dragon  was  the  most  fearful  wild 

"  Fond  Atae,  doomer  of  bad  boad-  fowl  of  Bartholomew  and  the  Hortus 

ing  fates,  Sanitatis  of  Topsell. 

That  wrappes  proud   fortune  in  70.  Bearing  their  birthrights,  etc.] 

thy  snaky  locks."  Compare  Henry  VIII.  1.  i.  84  : — 


24  KING  JOHN  [act  n. 

To  make  a  hazard  of  new  fortunes  here: 
In  brief,  a  braver  choice  of  dauntless  spirits 
Than  now  the  English  bottoms  have  waft  o'er 
Did  never  float  upon  the  swelling  tide, 
To  do  offence  and  scath  in  Christendom.  75 

[Drum  beats. 
The  interruption  of  their  churlish  drums 
Cuts  off  more  circumstance:  they  are  at  hand, 
To  parley  or  to  fight ;  therefore  prepare. 

K.  Phi.  How  much  unlook'd  for  is  this  expedition! 

Aust.  By  how  much  unexpected,  by  so  much  80 

We  must  awake  endeavour  for  defence; 
For  courage  mounteth  with  occasion : 
Let  them  be  welcome  then;  we  are  prepared. 

Enter  KING  JOHN,   ELINOR,   BLANCH,  the  BASTARD, 
Lords,  and  Forces. 

K.  John.  Peace  be  to  France,  if  France  in  peace  permit 
Our  just  and  lineal  entrance  to  our  own ;  85 

If  not,  bleed  France,  and  peace  ascend  to  heaven, 
Whiles  we,  God's  wrathful  agent,  do  correct 
Their  proud  contempt  that  beats  His  peace  to  heaven. 

K.  Phi.  Peace  be  to  England,  if  that  war  return 

From  France  to  England,  there  to  live  in  peace.     90 

"  O,  many  82.  with  occasion]  when  the  emer- 

Have    broke    their    backs    with  gency  demands. 

laying  manors  on  them."  87.  Whiles]   the  genitive  form  of 

73.  bottoms]  vessels.     Used  techni-  while  (A.S.  hwil)  used   adverbially. 

cally   in   this   sense   at   the    present  Common     in     Shakespeare.       Rowe 

day.  reads  Whilst. 

77.  circumstance]  detailed  descrip-  88.  beats]  Hanmer  reads  beat,  mak- 

tion,     attendant     detail.      Compare  ing  that  refer  to  the  plural  pronoun 

Othello,  hi.  iii.  355  :  "  Pride,  pomp,  contained  in  their  and  not  to  contempt 

and  circumstance  of  glorious  war."  — a  needless  alteration. 


sc.  i]  KING  JOHN  25 

England  we  love;  and  for  that  England's  sake 

With  burden  of  our  armour  here  we  sweat 

This  toil  of  ours  should  be  a  work  of  thine; 

But  thou  from  loving  England  art  so  far, 

That  thou  hast  under-wrought  his  lawful  king,         95 

Cut  off  the  sequence  of  posterity, 

Out-faced  infant  state,  and  done  a  rape 

Upon  the  maiden  virtue  of  the  crown. 

Look  here  upon  thy  brother  Geffrey's  face ; 

These  eyes,  these  brows,  were  moulded  out  of  his : 

This  little  abstract  doth  contain  that  large  10 1 

Which  died  in  Geffrey,  and  the  hand  of  time 

Shall  draw  this  brief  into  as  huge  a  volume. 

That  Geffrey  was  thy  elder  brother  born, 

And  this  his  son;  England  was  Geffrey's  right,     105 

And  this  is  Geffrey's  in  the  name  of  God  ; 

106.  Geffrey's  .  .  .  God ;]   Geffreyes  in    the  name  of  God :    Ff  1,  2,  3 

(Geffreys  F  3) ;  Geffreys,  in  the  name  of  God,  F  4 ;  Geffrey's  :  in  the  name 
of  God  Cambridge  Editors. 

95.  That  .  .  .  king]  that  thou  hast  the  larger  volume,  Geffrey.    Compare 

undermined  the  lawful  king  of  Eng-  Edward  III.  11.  i.  82  : — 

land.   His  is  the  neuter  possessive  pro-  "Whose  body  is  an  abstract  or  a 

noun.    Collier  MS.  reads  her,  to  agree  brief 

with  the  personification  of  England.  Contains  each  general  virtue  in 

97.  Out-faced  infant  state]  Gould  the  world." 
conjectures  "  Out-raced  infant  right."  106.  And  this  is  Geffrey's  .  .  . 
Mr.  Wright  explains  the  line  as  God]  Apart  from  the  variations  in  the 
"  browbeaten,  put  down  by  intimida-  punctuation  of  the  Folios  this  reading 
tion  or  bravado,  the  state  that  belongs  has  much  exercised  the  critics.  The 
to  an  infant."  "  Out-faced  "  is  simple  difficulty  lies  in  the  phrase  "  And  this 
enough,  but  "infant  state"  offers  is  Geffrey's."  We  cannot  add  "  son " 
some  difficulty.  How  can  the  state  because  of  the  previous  line.  Vaughan 
or  majesty  that  belongs  to  an  infant  suggests  "  And  is  this  Geffrey's,"  i.e. 
be  browbeaten  ?  And  can  John's  Arthur's,  as  opposed  to  "  that " 
conduct  be  described  in  this  way  ?  Geffrey's — the  dead  father's.  Fail- 
Can  "  out-raced  "  mean  "  out-  ing  that,  and  following  out  the  same 
rooted "  ?  Compare  "  a  race  of  idea,  he  would  read  "  And  this  is 
ginger"  =  a  root  of  ginger.  Geffrey."        In    default     of    better, 

101.     This     little    abstract,     etc.]  Vaughan's    suggestion    is  preferable 

Philip  calls  Arthur  a  small  copy  of  to  the  others. 


26  KING  JOHN  [act  b. 

How  comes  it  then  that  thou  art  call'd  a  king, 
When  living  blood  doth  in  these  temples  beat, 
Which  owe  the  crown  that  thou  o'ermasterest  ? 

K.  John.   From   whom   hast  thou   this   great   commission, 
France,  no 

To  draw  my  answer  from  thy  articles? 

K.  Phi.  From  that  supernal  judge,  that  stirs  good  thoughts 
In  any  breast  of  strong  authority, 
To  look  into  the  blots  and  stains  of  right : 
That  judge  hath  made  me  guardian  to  this  boy:   115 
Under  whose  warrant  I  impeach  thy  wrong, 
And  by  whose  help  I  mean  to  chastise  it 

K.  John.  Alack,  thou  dost  usurp  authority. 

K.  Phi.  Excuse;  it  is  to  beat  usurping  down. 

Eli.  Who  is  it  thou  dost  call  usurper,  France?  120 

Const.  Let  me  make  answer ;  thy  usurping  son. 

Eli.  Out,  insolent !  thy  bastard  shall  be  king, 

That  thou  mayst  be  a  queen,  and  check  the  world ! 

Const.  My  bed  was  ever  to  thy  son  as  true 

113.  breast]  beast  F  1.         119.  Excuse ;]  so  Malone  ;  Excuse  it  is  Ff. 

log.     owe]    own.        Frequent     in  Staunton,     with     great     probability. 

Shakespeare.     Compare    Comedy  of  claims  this  as  a  metaphor  taken  from 

Errors,  in.  i.  42: —  chess. 

"  What  art  thou  that  keepest  me  124,  125.  My  bed   .   .   .    husband] 

out  from  the  house  I  owe  ?  "  It    seems    strange    that     Constance 

in.    from   thy    articles]   Hanmer  should  compare  her  own  fidelity  with 

prints  "to."     "  Articles  "  are  the  sec-  that  of  the  person  whom  she  accuses 

tions  of  a  formal  document,  and  the  of   infidelity    a  moment    later   (line 

idea  conveyed  here  is  that  Philip  has  130).     Elinor  too  had  been  divorced 

been  taxing  John  as  if  he  were  reading  from   Louis  VII.   for   infidelity.     To 

a  formal  indictment.  avoid  the  difficulty  Vaughan  proposes 

112.  supernal]  This  is  the  sole  use  to  read:  "  As  to  me  was  my  husband." 
of  the  word  by  Shakespeare,  but  it  is  It  may  be  that  Shakespeare  was  con- 
found in  contemporaries.  See  Cot-  tent  to  make  Constance  femininely 
grave,  Sir  Thomas  More,  Milton,  illogical  in  her  passion.  Mr.  Craig's 
Formed  by  analogy  with  infernal  suggestion  that  Constance  meant 
(Mr.  Wright).  "  My  bed  was  at  least   as   true   as 

123.     That     thou     .     .    .     world]  yours "  avoids  the  difficulty. 


sc.  i.]  KING  JOHN  27 

As  thine  was  to  thy  husband;  and  this  boy  125 

Liker  in  feature  to  his  father  Geffrey 

Than  thou  and  John  in  manners ;  being  as  like 

As  rain  to  water,  or  devil  to  his  dam. 

My  boy  a  bastard !     By  my  soul,  I  think 

His  father  never  was  so  true  begot:  130 

It  cannot  be,  an  if  thou  wert  his  mother. 

Eli.  There's  a  good  mother,  boy,  that  blots  thy  father. 

Const.   There's    a  good    grandam,   boy,    that   would    blot 
thee. 

Aust.  Peace! 

Bast.  Hear  the  crier. 

Aust.  What  the  devil  art  thou? 

Bast.  One  that  will  play  the  devil,  sir,  with  you,  135 

An  a'  may  catch  your  hide  and  you  alone: 
You  are  the  hare  of  whom  the  proverb  goes, 
Whose  valour  plucks  dead  lions  by  the  beard : 
I  '11  smoke  your  skin-coat,  an  I  catch  you  right ; 
Sirrah,  look  to't;  i'  faith,  I  will,  i'  faith.  140 

127.    John  in    manners ;    being]   Capell ;   John,   in  manners   being  Ff. 
133.  There 's  .  .  .  thee]  Pope  ;  two  lines  in  Ff,  ending  boy,  .  .  .  thee. 

127.     John    in    manners ;     being]  in    this   connection   by    Elizabethan 

Vaughan       suggests      "  manners, —  writers. 

being,"   for   the  comparison  of  devil        136.  your  hide]  Austria  was  wearing 

and  his  dam  is,  of  course,  more  closely  the  lion's  skin  he    had   taken   from 

connected  with  John  and  his  mother  Coeur-de-lion. 

than   with    Arthur    and    Constance.         137.  the  proverb]  Given  by  Erasmus 

The  "  devil   and  his  dam  "   are  evi-  amongst  his  Adagia :  "  mortuo  leoni 

dently  two  personages  from  the  Moral-  et  lepores  insultant."     Compare  Re- 

ity  plays.      Compare  Ralph   Roister  turn  from  Parnassus  (p.  71,  ed.  Mac- 

Doister,  11.  iv.  38 :  "  the  devil's  dam  ray) :   "  Soe    hares    may  pull  deade 

was  ne'er  so  bang'd  in  hell."     "  Play  lions  by  the  bearde." 
the   devil "   (line   135)  would    mean        139.    smoke]  beat.     Halliwell  says 

"  play  as  violent  a  part  as  the  devil  that  in  Devonshire  it  means  "  to  abuse 

of  the  Moralities."  a  person,"  and  in  the  North  "  to  beat 

132.   blots]    impute  dishonour    to.  severely."     To  strike  one  so  violently 

Continually  used  as  noun  and  verb  as  to  make  dust  fly  out  of  the  coat. 


28 


KING  JOHN 


[act  II. 


Blanch.  O,  well  did  he  become  that  lion's  robe 
That  did  disrobe  the  lion  of  that  robe ! 

Bast.  It  lies  as  sightly  on  the  back  of  him 
As  great  Alcides  shows  upon  an  ass : 
But,  ass,  I'll  take  that  burthen  from  your  back,    145 
Or  lay  on  that  shall  make  your  shoulders  crack. 

Aust.  What  cracker  is  this  same  that  deafs  our  ears 
With  this  abundance  of  superfluous  breath  ? 
King  Philip,  determine  what  we  shall  do  straight. 

K.  Phi.  Women  and  fools,  break  off  your  conference.  1 50 
King  John,  this  is  the  very  sum  of  all ; 
England  and  Ireland,  Anjou,  Touraine,  Maine, 
In  right  of  Arthur  do  I  claim  of  thee: 
Wilt  thou  resign  them  and  lay  down  thy  arms? 

152.  Anjou]  Theobald  ;  Anglers  Ff. 

144.  Alcides  shows]  The  Folios 
read  "  Alcides  shooes  "  ("  shoos," 
F  4).  Editors  quote  a  proverb  from 
Gosson's  Schoole  of  Abuse:  "Too 
draw  the  Lyon's  skin  upon  Aesop's 
Asse,  Hercules  shoes  on  a  childes 
feete."  It  may  therefore  be  possible 
that  Shakespeare  had  a  confused 
recollection  of  Gosson's  lines  in  his 
mind  and  that  the  reading  of  the 
Folios  is  correct.  Fleay  prints 
"shoes  .  .  .  ape,"  and  suggests 
"dwarf"  or  "child"  to  take  the 
place  of  "  ass."  Rejecting  "shows" 
and  "  shoes,"  Keightley  reads 
"  shew'd,"  and  suggests  "  should." 
Hudson,  following  a  conjecture  of 
Vaughan's,  reads  "does."  Kinnear 
conjectures  "spoil,"  and  Gould 
"  robes."  Mr.  Worrall  (see  Warwick 
ed.)  suggests  that  if  "shows"  is 
right,  it  is  a  verb.  The  reading  in 
the  text  is  that  ot  Theobald,  followed 
by  most  modern  editors.  It  is  in  any 
case  preferable  to  the  Folios'  reading, 
which  can  only  be  defended  by  sup- 


posing that  Shakespeare  was  guilty 
of  a  most  senseless  confusion.  There 
is  no  possible  point  in  speaking  of  an 
ass  wearing  the  shoes  of  Hercule>, 
and  as  Vaughan  pointed  out,  the 
question  concerns  something  worn  or 
borne  upon  the  back. 

147.  cracker]  boaster.  Cotgrave 
has  "  se  vanter,  ...  to  crack." 
Compare  Ralph  Roister  Doister,  1.  i. 

35:— 

"  All   the  day   long  is   he  facing 

and  cracking 
Of  his  great  acts  in  fighting  and 

fraymaking." 
And   compare   the  modern  "a  thing 
much  cracked-up,"  i.e.  boasted  about, 
and  "  a  crack  player." 

149.  King  Philip]  The  Folios  read 
"  King  Lewis."  The  emendation  is 
Theobald's.  Lewis  was  not  king, 
and  Austria  was  not  likely  to  appeal 
to  him  for  a  final  decision  in  anything 
of  moment.  We  must,  therefore, 
suppose  a  mistaken  substitution  of 
Lewis  for  Philip. 


sc  i]  KING  JOHN  29 

K.  John.  My  life  as  soon:  I  do  defy  thee,  France.       155 
Arthur  of  Bretagne,  yield  thee  to  my  hand; 
And  out  of  my  dear  love  I  '11  give  thee  more 
Than  e'er  the  coward  hand  of  France  can  win : 
Submit  thee,  boy. 

Eli.  Come  to  thy  grandam,  child. 

Const.  Do,  child,  go  to  it  grandam,  child ;  160 

Give  grandam  kingdom,  and  it  grandam  will 
Give  it  a  plum,  a  cherry,  and  a  fig: 
There's  a  good  grandam. 

A  rth.  Good  my  mother,  peace  ! 

I  would  that  I  were  low  laid  in  my  grave: 
I  am  not  worth  this  coil  that's  made  for  me.        165 

Eli.  His  mother  shames  him  so,  poor  boy,  he  weeps. 

Const.  Now  shame  upon  you,  whether  she  does  or  no! 
His  grandam's  wrongs,  and   not  his  mother's   shames 
Draws  those  heaven-moving  pearls  from  his  poor  eyes, 
Which  heaven  shall  take  in  nature  of  a  fee;  170 

156.  Bretagne]  Hanmer ;  Britaine  Ff  1,  2;  Britain  F  3;  Brittain  F  4. 
168.  wrongs]  Ff  i,  2,  3  ;  wrong  F  4. 

156.  Bretagne]  This  spelling  of  be  Celtic  in  origin,  like  many  other 
Hanmer's,  in  spite  of  its  suggestion  words  of  untraceable  pedigree.  Pro- 
of French  pronunciation,  is  adopted  bably  of  slang  derivation  (see  New 
by   most    modern   editors   to    avoid  Eng.  Diet.). 

confusion     with     Britain.       Shake-  168,    169.     wrongs,   .    .   .    shames 

speare  spelt  Britanny  and  Britain  in  Draws]    The   usual   defence   of  this 

the  same  way.  grammatical  error,   that    a    singular 

160,   etc.  it]   Baby  talk.       Capell  phrase  has  been  slipped  in  between 

could  not  suffer  "it"  to  remain  and  the  nominative  and  verb,  does  not 

reads  "  it's"  I     Pope  put  the  whole  hold  good  here.     We  have  either  to 

passage    down    as    spurious,     from  suppose  a  misprint  or  believe  with  Dr. 

"Submit   thee"   to  "repetitions,"  in  Abbott  that  the  Elizabethan  ear,  owing 

spite    of   such    lines    as    165,    168-  to  dialectic  influences,  was  less  sensi- 

172.  tive  than  ours.     It  seems  preferable 

165.  coil]  Cotgrave  has  "  vacarme,  to  blame  the  printer's  eye  rather  than 

...  a    tumultuous    garboil,    hurly-  Shakespeare's  ear.     Folio  4  corrects 

burly,  stir,  coil."    Once  thought  to  the  error,  but  not  happily. 


30  KING  JOHN  [act  ii. 

Ay,  with  these  crystal  beads  heaven  shall  be  bribed 
To  do  him  justice  and  revenge  on  you. 

Eli.  Thou  monstrous  slanderer  of  heaven  and  earth! 

Const.  Thou  monstrous  injurer  of  heaven  and  earth  ! 

Call  not  me  slanderer;  thou  and  thine  usurp  175 

The  dominations,  royalties  and  rights 

Of  this  oppressed  boy:  this  is  thy  eld'st  son's  son, 

Infortunate  in  nothing  but  in  thee: 

Thy  sins  are  visited  in  this  poor  child ; 

The  canon  of  the  law  is  laid  on  him,  180 

Being  but  the  second  generation 

Removed  from  thy  sin-conceiving  womb. 

K.  John.  Bedlam,  have  done. 

Const.  I  have  but  this  to  say, 

That  he  is  not  only  plagued  for  her  sin, 
But  God  hath  made  her  sin  and  her  the  plague    185 

175.  not  me]  Ff  1,  2,  3 ;  me  not  F  4.  176.  dominations]  F  i ;  domina- 

tion Ff  2,  3,  4.  177.  this  is  thy  eld'st]  Capell ;  this  is  thy  eldest  Ff. 

171.  crystal  .  .  .  bribed]  Mr.  Craig  passage  as  follows  :  "  God  hath  made 

suggests  that  here  we  have  a  reflec-  her  sin  and  herself  to  be  a  plague  to 

tion  of  the  old  voyagers'  stories  of  this  distant  child,  who  is  punished 

bribing  Indians  with  beads.  for  her  and  with  the  punishment  be- 

180.  The  canon  .  .  .  on  him]  The  longing  to  her  :  God  has  made  her 

sins  of  Elinor,  Arthur's  grandmother,  sin  to  be  an  injury  to  Arthur,  and  her 

are  being  visited  upon  her  grandson,  injurious  deeds  to  be  the  executioner 

according  to  the  canon  of  the  law,  to  punish  her  sin :  all  which  (viz.  her 

even  to  the  third  and  fourth  genera-  first  sin  and  her  now  injurious  deeds) 

tion.  are  punished   in  the  person   of  this 

183.     Bedlam]     lunatic.       Rann,  child."     The  only  difficulty  here  is 

after  a  conjecture  of  Ritson's,  reads  the  use  of"  injury  "  in  two  ways,  the 

(quite  possibly)  "  Beldam,"  but  com-  first  meaning  injury  to  Arthur,  and  the 

pare  King  Lear,  m.  vii.  103:  "Let's  second  meaning  injurious  deeds  per- 

follow  the  old  earl,  and  get  the  bed-  petrated  by  Elinor.     The  Folios  read 

lam  To  lead  him  where  he  would."  (line  187)  **  with  her  plague  her  sinne." 

Derived  from  the  Bethlehem  Hospital  The  passage  is  difficult  and  has  given 

for  the  Insane.  rise    to    all     kinds    of    suggestions. 

185.  But  God  hath  made  her  sin,  Malone  supposed  that  two  half  lines 

etc.]  We  follow  the  punctuation  sug-  had  been  dropped  after  "  And  with 

gested   by   Roby,  who  explains  the  her." 


sc.  i  ]  KING  JOHN  31 

On  this  removed  issue,  plagued  for  her 

And  with  her  plague;  her  sin  his  injury, 

Her  injury  the  beadle  to  her  sin, 

All  punish'd  in  the  person  of  this  child, 

And  all  for  her;  a  plague  upon  her!  190 

Eli.  Thou  unadvised  scold,  I  can  produce 
A  will  that  bars  the  title  of  thy  son. 

Const.  Ay,  who  doubts  that  ?  a  will !  a  wicked  will ; 
A  woman's  will ;  a  canker'd  grandam's  will ! 

K.  Phi.  Peace,  lady !  pause,  or  be  more  temperate  :     195 
It  ill  beseems  this  presence  to  cry  aim 
To  these  ill-tuned  repetitions. 
Some  trumpet  summon  hither  to  the  walls 
These  men  of  Angiers :  let  us  hear  them  speak 
Whose  title  they  admit,  Arthur's  or  John's.  200 

Trumpet  sounds.     Enter  certain  Citizens  upon  the  walls. 

First  Cit.  Who  is  it  that  hath  warn'd  us  to  the  walls? 

K.  Phi.   'Tis  France,  for  England. 

K.  John.  England,  for  itself. 

You  men  of  Angiers,  and  my  loving  subjects, — 
K.  Phi.  You  loving  men  of  Angiers,  Arthur's  subjects, 

Our  trumpet  call'd  you  to  this  gentle  parle, —       205 
K.  John.  For  our  advantage ;  therefore  hear  us  first. 

190.  And  .  .  .  her]  Mr.  Craig  sug-  violent  proceedings  all  thy  neighbours 

gests  that  Shakespeare  wrote  "  And  shall  cry  aim."     Several  editors  have 

all  for  her,  for  her ;  a  plague  upon  endeavoured  to  improve  the  passage. 

her  ! "  Jonson  suggested  that  "  aim  "  was  an 

196.  cry  aim]  "  To  cry  aim  "  meant  abbreviation  of  "  J'aime  "  ! 

in  the  first  place,  to  encourage  archers  198.  Some  .  .  .  walls]   Mr.   Craig 

when     shooting.      The     bystanders  suggests "  Sound  trumpet !    Summon 

evidently  used   to  cry  "Aim!"      It  hither  to  the  walls." 

then  came  to  mean  encouragement  in  205.  parle]  parley,  conference,   or 

general.     Compare  Merry  Wives  of  even     speech.       So     constantly     in 

Windsor,  m.  ii.  45 :    "  And  to  these  Elizabethan  plays. 


32  KING  JOHN  [act  ii 

These  flags  of  France,  that  are  advanced  here 

Before  the  eye  and  prospect  of  your  town, 

Have  hither  march'd  to  your  endamagement: 

The  cannons  have  their  bowels  full  of  wrath,  210 

And  ready  mounted  are  they  to  spit  forth 

Their  iron  indignation  'gainst  your  walls: 

All  preparation  for  a  bloody  siege 

And  merciless  proceeding  by  these  French 

Confronts  your  city's  eyes,  your  winking  gates ;     215 

And  but  for  our  approach  those  sleeping  stones, 

That  as  a  waist  doth  girdle  you  about, 

By  the  compulsion  of  their  ordinance 

By  this  time  from  their  fixed  beds  of  lime 

Had  been  dishabited,  and  wide  havoc  made  220 

For  bloody  power  to  rush  upon  your  peace. 

But  on  the  sight  of  us  your  lawful  king, 

Who  painfully  with  much  expedient  march 

Have  brought  a  countercheck  before  your  gates, 

To  save  unscratch'd  your  city's  threatened  cheeks,  225 

Behold,  the  French  amaz'd  vouchsafe  a  parle; 

215.  Confronts  your]  Capell ;  Comfort  yours  Ff  1,  2  ;  Comfort  your  Ff  3, 
4  ;  Confront  your  Rowe  ;  Come  'fore  your  Collier,  ed.  2  (Collier  MS.). 

207.  advanced]  lifted  up  (a  common        217.  waist]  a  garment  worn  round 

Elizabethan      meaning).       Compare  the   waist.     The    modern    American 

Cotgrave,  "  Hausse :   hoised,  raised,  lady     calls    a    blouse     a     "  waist." 

advanced,  .  .  .  hoven   up,    .   .    .   set  Compare   Spenser's  Ditty  to  Eliza : 

aloft."  "  gird  in  your  waist,  For  more  fine- 

215.    winking]  closed   at  our   ap-  ness  with  a  tawdry  lace. " 
proach.     "To  wink,"  *in   the   sense        217.  dor  A]  Here  we  have  "  stones" 

of    closing   both    eyes,    is   common  nominative  to  "  doth "  owing  to  the 

in    Elizabethan  English.      Compare  interposition  of  the   singular    noun 

Promos  and  Cassandra  (pt.  i.),  v.  v. :  **  waist."     Contrast    lines    168,    169 

"...  your    eyes    harde   you    must  above. 

close.  .  .  .  Winke  harde  "  ;  and  Lyly,         220.  Had  been  .  .  .  made]   Fleay 

Euphues  (ed.  Arber,  p.  333,  line  28):  regularises  the  line  by  reading  "  dis- 

"  though  I  wink  at  a  flash  of  lightning,  habit" — needlessly.      Compare   1.    i. 

I  dare  open  my  eyes  again."  20  and  note  above. 


sc.  i]  KING  JOHN  33 

And  now,  instead  of  bullets  wrapp'd  in  fire, 
To  make  a  shaking  fever  in  your  walls, 
They  shoot  but  calm  words  folded  up  in  smoke, 
To  make  a  faithless  error  in  your  ears :  230 

Which  trust  accordingly,  kind  citizens, 
And  let  us  in,  your  king,  whose  labour'd  spirits 
Forwearied  in  this  action  of  swift  speed 
Crave  harbourage  within  your  city  walls. 
K.  Phi.  When  I  have  said,  make  answer  to  us  both.  235 
Lo,  in  this  right  hand,  whose  protection 
Is  most  divinely  vow'd  upon  the  right 
Of  him  it  holds,  stands  young  Plantagenet, 
Son  to  the  elder  brother  of  this  man, 
And  king  o'er  him  and  all  that  he  enjoys:  240 

For  this  down-trodden  equity,  we  tread 
In  warlike  march  these  greens  before  your  town, 
Being  no  further  enemy  to  you 
Than  the  constraint  of  hospitable  zeal 
In  the  relief  of  this  oppressed  child  245 

Religiously  provokes.     Be  pleased  then 
To  pay  that  duty  which  you  truly  owe 
To  him  that  owes  it,  namely  this  young  prince : 
And  then  our  arms,  like  to  a  muzzled  bear, 

234.  Crave]  Pope  ;  Craves  Ff. 

229.  They  shoot  .  .  .  smoke]  Com-  247,  248.  owe  .  .  .  owes]  The  two 

pare   Lucrece,  1027:  "This  helpless  meanings  of  "  owe  "  are  used.     Com- 

smoke  of  words  doth  me  no  right."  pare  ('owes,"  which  Pope  needlessly 

233.  Forwearied]        completely  altered  to   "  owns,"   with    line    109 
wearied,  tired  out.     The   prefix  for  above. 

is  exactly  equivalent  to  the  German  249.     arms]     Vaughan     suggests 

ver-.  "  army  "  as  more  in  keeping  with  the 

234.  Crave]  See  note  on  line  217  simile  of  the  bear,  and  as  saving  the 
above.  grammar ;  but  it  makes  the  line  too 

236.  in]  We  should  now  say  "  on."     long. 

3 


34  KING  JOHN  [act  b. 

Save  in  aspect,  hath  all  offence  seal'd  up;  250 

Our  cannons'  malice  vainly  shall  be  spent 

Against  the  invulnerable  clouds  of  heaven ; 

And  with  a  blessed  and  unvex'd  retire, 

With  unhack'd  swords  and  helmets  all  unbruised, 

We  will  bear  home  that  lusty  blood  again  255 

Which  here  we  came  to  spout  against  your  town, 

And  leave  your  children,  wives  and  you  in  peace. 

But  if  you  fondly  pass  our  proffer'd  offer, 

'Tis  not  the  roundure  of  your  old-faced  walls 

Can  hide  you  from  our  messengers  of  war,  260 

Though  all  the  English  and  their  discipline 

Were  harbour'd  in  their  rude  circumference. 

Then  tell  us,  shall  your  city  call  us  lord, 

In  that  behalf  which  we  have  challenged  it? 

Or  shall  we  give  the  signal  to  our  rage  265 

And  stalk  in  blood  to  our  possession? 

First  Cit.  In  brief,  we  are  the  king  of  England's  subjects  : 
For  him,  and  in  his  right,  we  hold  this  town. 

K.  John.  Acknowledge  then  the  king,  and  let  me  in. 

First  Cit.  That  can  we  not ;  but  he  that  proves  the  king,  270 

253.  unvex'd]  unharassed.  words  in  -ure.    Compare  Sonnet  xxi. : 

253.  retire]      retreat.         Compare  "  .  .  .  all  things  rare  That  heaven's 

Henry  V.  iv.  iii.  86  : —  air  in  this  huge  rondure  hems  "  ;  and 

"  that  their  souls  cincture,  iv.  iii.  155  infra. 

May  make  a  peaceful  and  a  sweet  259.  old-faced]  Williams'  conjecture 

retire  " ;  of  "  bold-faced  "  looks  very  probable. 

and  line  326  infra.  "  Old-faced"  does  not  seem  particu- 

258.  proffer'd  offer]  The  repetition  larly  apt  in  the  light  of  the  context, 
of  sound  here  has  worried  the  critics  :  The  same  scholar  would  alter  "  rude  " 
but  the  "proper  offer"  of  Jervis,  the  in  line  262  to  "wide."  We  might 
"proffer'd  love"  of  S.  Walker,  the  suppose  that  Philip  is  belittling  the 
"proffer'd  peace"  of  Hudson,  do  not  fortifications  of  Angiers,  which  would 
seem  needful  or  convincing.  justify     reading     "old-faced"     and 

259.  roundure]  The    Folios    read     "rude." 
"  rounder,"    as    often   with    French 


sc.  i.]  KING  JOHN  35 

To  him  will  we  prove  loyal:  till  that  time 
Have  we  ramm'd  up  our  gates  against  the  world. 

K.  John.  Doth  not  the  crown  of  England  prove  the  king  ? 
And  if  not  that,  I  bring  you  witnesses,  274 

Twice  fifteen  thousand  hearts  of  England's  breed, — 

Bast.  Bastards,  and  else. 

K.  John.  To  verify  our  title  with  their  lives. 

K.  Phi.  As  many  and  as  well-born  bloods  as  those — 

Bast.  Some  bastards  too. 

K.  Phi.  Stand  in  his  face  to  contradict  his  claim.        280 

First  Cit.  Till  you  compound  whose  right  is  worthiest, 
We  for  the  worthiest  hold  the  right  from  both. 

K.  John.  Then  God  forgive  the  sin  of  all  those  souls 
That  to  their  everlasting  residence, 
Before  the  dew  of  evening  fall,  shall  fleet,  285 

In  dreadful  trial  of  our  kingdom's  king ! 

K.  Phi.  Amen,  amen  !     Mount,  chevaliers !  to  arms ! 

Bast.   Saint   George,   that   swinged   the  dragon,    and   e'er 
since 
Sits  on  his  horse  back  at  mine  hostess'  door, 

288,  289.  Saint  George  .  .  .  door]  So  Pope ;  the  Folios  end  the  first  line 
at  dragon. 

276.  Bastards,  andelse]  Mr.  Moore-  The   sign  of  "St.   George  and   the 

Smith    seems   more    accurate    than  Dragon "  must  have  been  very  com- 

Schmidt    in     taking    this  to    mean  mon   in    Elizabethan   times ;   indeed 

"  Bastards  and    otherwise  "   instead  it  is  not  uncommon  nowadays.     Com- 

of  "Bastards  and  such-like."  pare   Lyly,  Euphues   (ed.   Arber,   p. 

281.  Compound]  settle  among  your-  47,  line   288):  "St.  George,  who  is 

selves.     Compare    The    Taming    of  ever  on  horseback  yet  never  rideth." 

the  Shrew,  i.  ii.  27 :  "  We  will  com-  288.  swinged]   thrashed,   whipped. 

pound  this  quarrel."  A.S.    swingan,    to   beat.      Compare 

285.    fleet]     flit.      Compare     The  2  Henry  IV.  v.  iv.  21  :— 

Merchant  of  Venice,  iv.  i.  135  :  "  Even  "  I  will  have  you  swinged  soundly 

from   the   gallows   did  his   fell   soul  for  this." 

fleet.'1''  289.  horse]   Perhaps  we  ought   to 

288,  289.  Saint  George  .  .  .  door]  read  horse'  to  indicate  the  possessive. 


36  KING  JOHN  [act  n. 

Teach  us  some  fence!     [To   Aust.]  Sirrah,  were  I  at 
home,  290 

At  your  den,  sirrah,  with  your  lioness, 

I  would  set  an  ox-head  to  your  lion's  hide, 

And  make  a  monster  of  you. 
Aust.  Peace  !  no  more. 

Bast.  O,  tremble,  for  you  hear  the  lion  roar. 
K.  John.  Up  higher  to  the  plain ;  where  we  '11  set  forth  295 

In  best  appointment  all  our  regiments. 
Bast.  Speed  then,  to  take  advantage  of  the  field. 
K.  Phi.  It  shall  be  so;  and  at  the  other  hill 

Command  the  rest  to  stand.     God  and  our  right ! 

[Exeunt. 

Here  after  excursions,  enter  the  Herald  of  France,  with 
trumpets,  to  the  gates. 

F.  Her.  You  men  of  Angiers,  open  wide  your  gates,     300 
And  let  young  Arthur,  Duke  of  Bretagne,  in, 
Who  by  the  hand  of  France  this  day  hath  made 
Much  work  for  tears  in  many  an  English  mother, 
Whose  sons  lie  scattered  on  the  bleeding  ground: 
Many  a  widow's  husband  grovelling  lies,  305 

Coldly  embracing  the  discoloured  earth ; 
And  victory,  with  little  loss,  doth  play 
Upon  the  dancing  banners  of  the  French, 

290.   some  fence]    literally    "  some  304.     bleeding    ground]   Note  the 

fencing."     Compare  "  An  I  thought  transference  of  the  adjective, 

he  had  been  so  valiant  and  cunning  308,  309.   Upon  the  .  .  .  display'd] 

mfence  "  (Twelfth  Night,  m.  iv.  312),  Vaughan     connects     "triumphantly 

and  the  phrase  "  a  master  of fence."  display'd"   with    "French."      Why 

292.  J  would  .  .  .  hide]  one  more  he  should  prefer  this  to  the  far  more 

variation  of  the  inevitable  Elizabethan  natural  "  banners  "  does  not  appear, 

joke  on  the  cuckold's  horns.  Keightley     inverts      the      line     into 


sc.  i]  KING  JOHN  37 

Who  are  at  hand,  triumphantly  display'd, 

To  enter  conquerors,  and  to  proclaim  310 

Arthur  of  Bretagne  England's  king  and  yours. 

Enter  English  Herald,  with  trumpet. 

E.  Her.  Rejoice,  you  men  of  Angiers,  ring  your  bells ; 
King  John,  your  king  and  England's,  doth  approach, 
Commander  of  this  hot  malicious  day : 
Their  armours,  that  march'd  hence  so  silver-bright,  315 
Hither  return  all  gilt  with  Frenchmen's  blood; 
There  stuck  no  plume  in  any  English  crest 
That  is  removed  by  a  staff  of  France ; 
Our  colours  do  return  in  those  same  hands 
That  did  display  when  we  first  march'd  forth;       320 
And,  like  a  jolly  troop  of  huntsmen,  come 
Our  lusty  English,  all  with  purpled  hands, 
Dyed  in  the  dying  slaughter  of  their  foes  : 
Open  your  gates  and  give  the  victors  way. 

First  Cit.  Heralds,  from  off  our  towers  we  might  behold,  325 
From  first  to  last,  the  onset  and  retire 

318.  a  staff]  any  staff  Collier,  ed.  2  (Collier  MS.). 

"  Triumphantly   display'd ;    who  are  To    transfer    dying    to    foes    would 

at  hand."     This  seems  unnecessary.  hardly  be   an  improvement,  and   we 

316.    Hither  .  .  .  blood]  Compare  are  forced  to  believe  that  Shakespeare 

Macbeth,  11.  iii.  118  : —  sacrificed  sense  a  little  for  the  sake  of 

"  Here  lay  Duncan  playing  with  the  sound. 

His  silver   skin   laced  with   his  325.  First  Cit.]  In  the  Folios  the 

golden  blood  "  ;  person  here  called  the  First  Citizen  is 

and  Ford,  'Tis  Pity,   v.  vi.  :    "gilt  called  Hubert.     Mr.   Knight  retains 

with  the  blood  of  a  fair  sister  and  a  this,   identifying   him    with    Hubert 

hapless  father."     Compare  also  the  de    Burgh.      Mr.    Wright    suggests 

phrase  "  red  gold."  that  the  parts  both  of  Hubert  and  of 

318.  staff]  Here  used  as  equivalent  the  Citizen  were  played  by  the  same 

for  the  whole  spear.  actor.     In  the    Troublesome  Raigne 

323.    Dyed  .  .  .  dying]  The   play  Hubert  and  the  Citizen  are  two  dis- 

upon  words  is  obvious,  and  "  dying  tinct  persons. 

slaughter "   may   be   compared  with  326.  retire]  See  line  253  and  note 

"  bleeding   ground,"  line  304  supra,  supra. 


38  KING  JOHN  [act  u. 

Of  both  your  armies ;  whose  equality 

By  our  best  eyes  cannot  be  censured  : 

Blood   hath   bought   blood  and  blows   have  answered 

blows ; 
Strength  match'd  with  strength,  and  power  confronted 

power :  330 

Both  are  alike ;  and  both  alike  we  like. 
One  must  prove  greatest :  while  they  weigh  so  even, 
We  hold  our  town  for  neither,  yet  for  both. 

Re-enter  the  two  Kings,  with  their  powers,  severally. 

K.  John.  France,  hast  thou  yet  more  blood  to  cast  away  ? 
Say,  shall  the  current  of  our  right  run  on?  335 

Whose  passage,  vex'd  with  thy  impediment, 
Shall  leave  his  native  channel,  and  o'erswell 
With  course  disturb'd  even  thy  confining  shores, 
Unless  thou  let  his  silver  water  keep 
A  peaceful  progress  to  the  ocean.  340 

K.  Phi.  England,  thou  hast  not  saved  one  drop  of  blood, 
In  this  hot  trial,  more  than  we  of  France  ; 
Rather,  lost  more.     And  by  this  hand  I  swear, 

335.  run]  Ff  3,  4  ;  runne  F  2  ;  rome  F  1 ;  roam  Malone  ;  foam  Nicholson 
conj. 

327,  328.  whose  equality  .  .  .  cert-  i.   33)    is   not,    however,  convincing. 

sured]    our    best    eyes    cannot    dis-  An   old  dictionary    (1696)   by   Coles 

tinguish  between  the  two  claimants,  gives     "  Censure :     to    judge,     give 

so  equally  matched  are  you.     Malone  sentence,"    and     the    meaning    "to 

says,    "  Our    author  ought    to   have  judge "     seems     sufficient     for     our 

written      '  whose      superiority,'      or  passage. 

'  whose    inequality '   cannot  be    cen-  335.  shall  .  .  .  run  on]   Compare 

sured."     Vaughan   explains,   "  whose  v.   iv.   56 :  "  And   calmly   run  on  in 

equality  is  so  exact  that  our  best  eyes  obedience."     In  view  of  this  there  is 

can  see  no  flaw  in  its  completeness,"  no  doubt  that  run  is  the  preferable 

and  adds  that  "  censure  appears  to  be  reading. 

a   term    specially   applicable   to   the  344.  climate]  Here  a  portion  of  the 

discrimination  of  differences."     The  sky.     In  Richard  II.  iv.  i.  130  it  is 

instance  he  quotes  (Henry    VIII.  1.  used  for  a  region  of  the  earth  ("  That 


sc.  i.J  KING  JOHN  39 

That  sways  the  earth  this  climate  overlooks, 
Before  we  will  lay  down  our  just-borne  arms,         345 
We  '11  put  thee  down  'gainst  whom  these  arms  we  bear, 
Or  add  a  royal  number  to  the  dead, 
Gracing  the  scroll  that  tells  of  this  war's  loss 
With  slaughter  coupled  to  the  name  of  kings. 
Bast.  Ha,  majesty!  how  high  thy  glory  towers,  350 

When  the  rich  blood  of  kings  is  set  on  fire ! 
O,  now  doth  Death  line  his  dead  chaps  with  steel ; 
The  swords  of  soldiers  are  his  teeth,  his  fangs ; 
And  now  he  feasts,  mousing  the  flesh  of  men, 
In  undetermined  differences  of  kings.  355 

Why  stand  these  royal  fronts  amazed  thus? 
Cry  "  havoc ! "  kings ;  back  to  the  stained  field, 
You  equal  potents,  fiery  kindled  spirits! 

358.  fiery  kindled]  fiery-kindled  Pope  ;  fire-y  kindled  Collier,  ed.  2  (Collier 
MS.) ;  fire-enkindled  Lettsom  conj. 

in  a  Christian   climate  souls  refined  gives   "  *o  mouch "    =    "  to   eat  up 

Should    show    as    heinous    .    .    .").  greedily "  (Line),  and  Coles,  "  to  eat 

Cotgrave  has  "  Climat ;  a  clime,  or  up  all." 

climate ;  a  division   in   the   skie,  or  357.    "  havoc  I "]    The    crying    of 

portion  of  the  world,  between  south  "  havoc  I "  was  the  signal   for  indis- 

and  north";  Coles  (1696)  "  Climote  criminate  slaughter.    Compare  Julius 

(sic) :   clime,  such  a  space  of  earth  Casar,  in.  i.  273  : — 

(between  two  parallel  lines)  as  makes  "  Cry  ■  Havoc,'   and   let   slip    the 

half  an  hour's  difference  in  the  sun-  dogs  of  war." 

dials  and  length  of  days."  The   New  Eng.  Diet,  quotes  (1385) 

350.  towers]  soars.     See  v.  ii.  149  Ord.  War  Richard  II.  in  Black  Bk. 

infra.     A  hawking  term.     A  grouse  Admiralty  (Rolls),  i.  455  : — 

that  rises  high  before  dropping  after  "  Item,   qe  nul   soit   si   hardy   de 

being  mortally  struck  is  still  said  to  crier  havok  sur  peine  davoir  la 

"  tower."  teste  coupe." 

354.  mousing]  generally   given   as  358.       equal       potents]      equally 

"  tearing,  as  a  cat  tears  a  mouse."  matched  powers. 

A  much  better  sense  is  given  by  tak-  358.   fiery   kindled]  See   readings 

ing   the   more  obvious   meaning   of  in  the  variant,  supra.     I  would  sug- 

gnawing,  nibbling  as  a  mouse  does,  gest"  fury-kindled  spirits."    Compare 

The  "Well   moused,   Lion  I "   of  A  Edward  III.  hi.  iii.   113:  "Or  that 

Midsummer-Night' s  Dream,  v.  i.  274,  enkindled  fury  turn  to  flame  "  ;  and 

will  also  bear  this  interpretation.     It  Richard  II.  i.i.152:  "Wrath-kindled 

is  perhaps  worth  noting  that  Halliwell  gentlemen,  be  ruled  by  me." 


40  KING  JOHN  [act  11. 

Then  let  confusion  of  one  part  confirm 
The   other's    peace;    till    then,    blows,    blood,    and 
death !  360 

K.  John.  Whose  party  do  the  townsmen  yet  admit  ? 

K.  Phi.  Speak,  citizens,  for  England ;  who 's  your  king  ? 

First  Cit.  The  king  of  England,  when  we  know  the  king. 

K.  Phi.  Know  him  in  us,  that  here  hold  up  his  right 

K.  John.  In  us,  that  are  our  own  great  deputy,  365 

And  bear  possession  of  our  person  here, 
Lord  of  our  presence,  Angiers,  and  of  you. 

First  Cit.  A  greater  power  than  we  denies  all  this ; 
And  till  it  be  undoubted,  we  do  lock 
Our  former  scruple  in  our  strong-barr'd  gates ;      370 
King'd  of  our  fears,  until  our  fears,  resolved, 
Be  by  some  certain  king  purged  and  deposed. 

Bast.    By   heaven,  these  scroyles  of  Angiers  flout  you, 
kings, 
And  stand  securely  on  their  battlements, 
As  in  a  theatre,  whence  they  gape  and  point         375 
At  your  industrious  scenes  and  acts  of  death. 

362.    who's]  Ff  2,  3,  4 ;  whose  F  1.        367.  of  you]  Ff  1,  4 ;  if  you  Ff  2,  3. 

367.  Lord  of  our  presence]  See  1.  i.  feare"  and  3  and  4,  "  Kings  of  our 
137  supra.  Vaughan's  explanation  fear" — having  our  fears  for  king. 
of  the  use  in  Act  1.  would  not  hold  Various  other  readings  have  been 
here.  Mr.  Wright  says  "presence"  suggested,  but  none  seem  worth  corn- 
here  means  "  personal  dignity  "  ;  but  paring  with  Tyrwhitt's  suggestion, 
it  seems  difficult  to  think  that  John  373.  scroyles]  scabby  fellows,  a 
means  "  I  am  here  master  of  my  term  of  utmost  contempt.  Compare 
personal  dignity,  of  Angiers,  and  of  Cotgrave,  *'  dme  escrouellee,  an  in- 
you."  I  should  imagine  '*  Lord  of  fected  traiterous  or  depraved  spirit  "  ; 
our  presence  "  to  mean  "  Lord  of  the  "  Les  escrouelles,  the  King's  evil." 
title  by  which  I  am  generally  known,  Steevens  quotes  Ben  Jonson,  Every 
i.e.  King  of  England,  and  also  Lord  Man  in  his  Humour,  1.  i. :  "  hang  'em 
of  Angiers  and  of  you."  scroyles." 

371.  King' d  of  our  fears]  So  Rann,  376.    At  your  .  .  .  death]   at    the 

after     a    conjecture    of    Tyrwhitt's.  scenes  and  acts  of  death  which  you 

Folios  1  and  2  read  **  Kings  of  our  industriously  perform.    For  the  trans- 


sc.  i]  KING  JOHN  41 

Your  royal  presences  be  ruled  by  me: 

Do  like  the  mutines  of  Jerusalem, 

Be  friends  awhile  and  both  conjointly  bend 

Your  sharpest  deeds  of  malice  on  this  town  :         380 

By  east  and  west  let  France  and  England  mount 

Their  battering  cannon  charged  to  the  mouths, 

Till  their  soul-fearing  clamours  have  brawl'd  down 

The  flinty  ribs  of  this  contemptuous  city: 

I 'Id  play  incessantly  upon  these  jades,  385 

Even  till  unfenced  desolation 

Leave  them  as  naked  as  the  vulgar  air. 

That  done,  dissever  your  united  strengths, 

And  part  your  mingled  colours  once  again ; 

Turn  face  to  face  and  bloody  point  to  point ;        390 

Then,  in  a  moment,  Fortune  shall  cull  forth 

Out  of  one  side  her  happy  minion, 

To  whom  in  favour  she  shall  give  the  day, 

And  kiss  him  with  a  glorious  victory. 

379.  awhile]  a-while  Ff  I,  2  ;  a  while  Ff  3,  4. 

ference    of   adjective,   compare    line  383.  soul-fearing]  causing  the  soul 

304   supra.     Capell    reads    "  illustri-  to  fear.     Compare  The  Merchant  of 

ous."  Venice,  11.  i.  9  : — 

378.  mutines]  Spedding  needlessly  "  I  tell  thee,  lady,  this   aspect  of 

conjectures      mutiners.        Compare  mine 

Hamlet,  v.  ii.  6  :  "  Methought  I  lay  Hath  fear'd  the  valiant." 

worse  than  the  mutines  in  the  bilboes."  Compare  Ralph  Roister  Doister,  In- 

The  reference  is  to  the  leaders  of  the  duction   (ed.    Dent,   p.  13,   line  85) : 

factions  in  Jerusalem,  John  of  Giscela  "  We  '11  fear  our  children  with   him  ; 

and  Simon  bar  Gioras,  who  stopped  if  the}'  be  never  so  unruly  do  but  cry, 

their   internecine  strife   in   order   to  Ralph  comes  .  .  .  and  they  '11  be  as 

fight     against     the      Romans     (see  quiet  as  lambs." 

Josephus,  Jewish  Wars,  bk.  v.  chs.  392.  minion]  Cotgrave  has  "  Mig- 

2  and  6).     Since  Josephus  was   not  non :    a  minion,  favourite,    wanton, 

translated  until    1602,   Mr.    Wright  dilling,  darling."     Compare  1  Henry 

believes  Shakespeare's  source  to  have  IV.   1.   i.   83:  "Who  is  sweet  For- 

been  Peter  Morwyng's  translation  of  tunes  minion  and  her  pride."     Used 

the  spurious  narrative  of  Joseph  ben  often  as  a  slighting  term  in  Shake- 

Gorion.  speare. 


42  KING  JOHN  [act  u. 

How  like  you  this  wild  counsel,  mighty  states?     395 
Smacks  it  not  something  of  the  policy? 

K,  John.   Now,  by  the  sky  that  hangs  above  our  heads, 
I  like  it  well.     France,  shall  we  knit  our  powers 
And  lay  this  Angiers  even  with  the  ground ; 
Then  after  fight  who  shall  be  king  of  it?  400 

Bast.  An  if  thou  hast  the  mettle  of  a  king, 

Being  wrong'd  as  we  are  by  this  peevish  town, 

Turn  thou  the  mouth  of  thy  artillery, 

As  we  will  ours,  against  these  saucy  walls ;  404 

And  when  that  we  have  dash'd  them  to  the  ground, 

Why  then  defy  each  other,  and  pell-mell 

Make  work  upon  ourselves,  for  heaven  or  hell. 

K.  Phi.  Let  it  be  so.     Say,  where  will  you  assault? 

K.  John.  We  from  the  west  will  send  destruction 

Into  this  city's  bosom.  410 

Aust.  I  from  the  north. 

K.  Phi.  Our  thunder  from  the  south 

Shall  rain  their  drift  of  bullets  on  this  town. 

411.  thunder]  thunders  Grant  White  (Capell  conj.). 

395.  states]  persons  in  high  posi-  Elizabethan  plays  the  word  denotes 
tions.  Compare  Troilus  and  Cres-  crafty  dealings.  Compare  Middleton's 
sida,  v.  v.  65 :  "  Hail,  all  you  state  Roaring  Girl,  ii.  2 :  "By  opposite 
of  Greece."  Compare  also  "  infant  policies,  courses  indirect "  ;  ibid.  iv. 
state"  (11.  i.  97  supra).  1 :  "  I'll  make  her  policy  the  art  to 

396.  the  policy]  Gould  suggests  trap  her " ;  and  Webster's  Vittoria 
"true  policy."  Schmidt  explains  Corombona  (ed.  Dyce,  p.  n,  col.  2)  : — 
"  the  policy  you  make  so  much  of"  ;  "  So  who  knows  policy  and  her 
Mr.  Wright,  "  the  policy  which  is  so  true  aspect, 

much  thought    of."      Cotgrave   and  Shall  find  her  ways  winding  and 

Coles  equate  policy  with  government,  indirect." 

a   meaning  which    lends  colour    to  406.  pell-mell]  Cotgrave  has  "  Pesle- 

Mr.    Moore  -  Smith's    conjecture     of  mesle :   pell-mell,    confusedly,    hand 

"  Has  it  not  some  smack  or  savour  over  head,  all  on  a  heap,  one  with 

of  the  political  art."     In  the  light  of  another." 

this  meaning,  Gould's  suggestion  of  412.  drift]  the  shower   of  bullets 

"true"  for  "the"  is  tempting.     In  compared  to  snow  driven  by  the  wind. 


sc.  i]  KING  JOHN  43 

Bast.  O  prudent  discipline !     From  north  to  south. 
Austria  and  France  shoot  in  each  other's  mouth : 
I  '11  stir  them  to  it.     Come,  away,  away !  415 

First  Cit.  Hear  us,  great  kings :  vouchsafe  awhile  to  stay, 
And  I  shall  show  you  peace  and  fair-faced  league ; 
Win  you  this  city  without  stroke  or  wound ; 
Rescue  those  breathing  lives  to  die  in  beds, 
That  here  come  sacrifices  for  the  field :  420 

Persever  not,  but  hear  me,  mighty  kings. 

K.  John.  Speak  on  with  favour ;  we  are  bent  to  hear. 

First  Cit.  That  daughter  there  of  Spain,  the  Lady  Blanch, 
Is  niece  to  England :  look  upon  the  years 
Of  Lewis  the  Dauphin  and  that  lovely  maid:        425 
If  lusty  love  should  go  in  quest  of  beauty, 
Where  should  he  find  it  fairer  than  in  Blanch? 
If  zealous  love  should  go  in  search  of  virtue, 
Where  should  he  find  it  purer  than  in  Blanch  ? 
If  love  ambitious  sought  a  match  of  birth,  430 

Whose  veins  bound  richer  blood  than  Lady  Blanch  ? 
Such  as  she  is,  in  beauty,  virtue,  birth, 
Is  the  young  Dauphin  every  way  complete : 
If  not  complete  of,  say  he  is  not  she ; 

421.  Persever]  Ff  i,  2;  Persevere  Ff  3,  4.  422.  Speak  on  with  favour ; 
we]  Speak  on  with  favour,  we  Ff;  Speak  on;  with  favour  we  Rowe.  424. 
niece]  So  Singer,  ed.  2  (Collier  MS.) ;  neere  Ff  1,  2  ;  neer  Ff  3,  4.  428. 
should]  omitted  in  Ff  2,  3,  4. 

418,  419.  Win  you  .  .  .  Rescue]  I  Neece    to   K.    Iohn,   the  lovely 

shall  win  you  ...  I  shall  rescue.  Ladie  Blanch. " 

422.  Speak  on  .  .  .  to  hear]  we  434.  complete  of]  There  seems  to 
grant  you  leave  to  speak  on  ;  we  are  be  no  other  instance  of  the  use  of  this 
listening.  phrase,  and  several  emendations  have 

424.  niece]  The  reading  of  the  Folios  been   suggested.     Hanmer,   "If  not 

is    an    obvious   misprint.      Compare  complete,   oh   say,   he   is    not   she "  ; 

Troublesome  Raigne  : —  Kinnear  for  "  of"  reads  "  so."    "  So," 

"  The  beauteous  daughter  of  the  with   the   long    s,    may    have    been 

King  of  Spaine,  printed  "  os  "  and  read  as  "  of." 


44  KING  JOHN  [act  n. 

And  she  again  wants  nothing,  to  name  want,       435 
If  want  it  be  not  that  she  is  not  he: 
He  is  the  half  part  of  a  blessed  man, 
Left  to  be  finished  by  such  as  she ; 
And  she  a  fair  divided  excellence, 
Whose  fulness  of  perfection  lies  in  him.  440 

O,  two  such  silver  currents,  when  they  join, 
Do  glorify  the  banks  that  bound  them  in ; 
And  two  such  shores  to  two  such  streams  made  one 
Two  such  controlling  bounds  shall  you  be,  kings, 
To  these  two  princes,  if  you  marry  them.  445 

This  union  shall  do  more  than  battery  can 
To  our  fast-closed  gates ;  for  at  this  match, 
With  swifter  spleen  than  powder  can  enforce, 
The  mouth  of  passage  shall  we  fling  wide  ope, 
And  give  you  entrance :  but  without  this  match,    450 
The  sea  enraged  is  not  half  so  deaf, 
Lions  more  confident,  mountains  and  rocks 
More  free  from  motion,  no,  not  Death  himself 
In  mortal  fury  half  so  peremptory, 
As  we  to  keep  this  city. 
Bast.  Here's  a  stay  455 

438.  such  as  she]  Theobald  reads,  bear    its    more     usual     meaning    of 

after  a  conjecture  of  Thurlby's,  "  such  "  ill-temper." 

a  she,"  a  very  probable  reading.  454.    peremptory]     Cotgrave     has 

447.  match]  A  play  upon  the  double  " peremptoire,    .    .    .    absolute,  .  .  . 

meaning,    the    match    between    the  forcible ;  .  .  .  earnest ;  that  will  have 

Dauphin  and  Blanch,  and  the  match  no  nay." 

to  fire   the   mine.     In  the  next   line  455.  stay]  Johnson    was    dissatis- 

Pope    reads  "  speed  "    for  '*  spleen,"  fied  with  this  word,  and  conjectured 

while   Becket    conjectures   "  Swifter  "  flaw,"     which      Hudson     adopted, 

than  powder  can  in  spleen  enforce."  Becket     suggested     "  say,"     which 

We   must   either  take   "  spleen  "   to  Singer  adopted  in  his  second  edition, 

mean  "  haste  "  (see  v.  vii.  50  infra)  Williams     suggested      "  story  "     or 

or  suspect  the  text,  for  it  cannot  here  "storm";    Elze    (Athenaum,    1867) 


sc  i]  KING  JOHN  45 

That  shakes  the  rotten  carcass  of  old  Death 
Out  of  his  rags!     Here's  a  large  mouth,  indeed, 
That  spits  forth  death  and  mountains,  rocks  and  seas, 
Talks  as  familiarly  of  roaring  lions 
As  maids  of  thirteen  do  of  puppy-dogs !  460 

What  cannoneer  begot  this  lusty  blood  ? 
He  speaks  plain  cannon  fire,  and  smoke  and  bounce; 
He  gives  the  bastinado  with  his  tongue: 
Our  ears  are  cudgell'd  ;  not  a  word  of  his 
But  buffets  better  than  a  fist  of  France:  465 

Zounds!  I  was  never  so  bethump'd  with  words 
Since  I  first  call'd  my  brother's  father  dad. 
Eli.  Son,  list  to  this  conjunction,  make  this  match; 
Give  with  our  niece  a  dowry  large  enough: 
For  by  this  knot  thou  shalt  so  surely  tie  470 

Thy  now  unsured  assurance  to  the  crown, 
That  yon  green  boy  shall  have  no  sun  to  ripe 
The  bloom  that  promiseth  a  mighty  fruit. 
I  see  a  yielding  in  the  looks  of  France; 
Mark,    how  they  whisper :    urge   them   while   their 

souls  475 

Are  capable  of  this  ambition, 

"bray,"     Vaughan     "style,"     Herr  Gayley,  line  609:  "Dub  dub  a  dub, 

"sway,"  Gould   "slave."     None   of  bounce  quoth  the  guns  with  a  sulpher- 

these    are    satisfactory.     We     must  ous  huffe  snuffe "  ;  and  2  Henry  IV. 

assume  that  "stay"  or   the  word  it  in.  ii.  304  :  "  '  Bounce '  would  'a  say  "  ; 

represents  means  a  sudden  check  or  and  Knight  of  the  Burning  Pestle,  v. 

hindrance.     In   Cheshire  there   is   a  i.  94  :  "  '  Sa,  Sa,  Sa,  bounce  t '  quoth 

dialectical  term  "  staw'd "  applied  to  the  guns."     Its  modern  meaning  of 

a  horse  who  is  checked  by  a  difficulty  bombast  does  not  seem  to  have  de- 

in   climbing  a  hill   (Cheshire   Folk-  veloped  in  Shakespeare's  time. 

Speech,  Dialect  Society).  467.  Since  .  .  .  dad]  An  inimitable 

462.     bounce]    The     onomatopeic  turn  of  a  common  saying  to  suit  the 

word  for  the  report  of  a  gun,  com-  Bastard's  own  case, 

mon  in  Elizabethan  plays.     Compare  468.  list  to  this  conjunction]  list  to 

Peele's  Old  Wives1  Tale  (1595),  ed.  the  suggestion  of  this  conjunction. 


46  KING  JOHN  [act  ii. 

Lest  zeal,  now  melted  by  the  windy  breath 
Of  soft  petitions,  pity  and  remorse, 
Cool  and  congeal  again  to  what  it  was. 

First  Cit.  Why  answer  not  the  double  majesties  480 

This  friendly  treaty  of  our  threaten'd  town  ? 

K.  Phi.  Speak  England  first,  that  hath  been  forward  first 
To  speak  unto  this  city :  what  say  you  ? 

K.  John.  If  that  the  Dauphin  there,  thy  princely  son, 
Can  in  this  book  of  beauty  read  "  I  love,"  485 

Her  dowry  shall  weigh  equal  with  a  queen: 
For  Anjou,  and  fair  Touraine,  Maine,  Poictiers, 
And  all  that  we  upon  this  side  the  sea, 
Except  this  city  now  by  us  besieged, 
Find  liable  to  our  crown  and  dignity,  490 

Shall  gild  her  bridal  bed,  and  make  her  rich 
In  titles,  honours  and  promotions, 
As  she  in  beauty,  education,  blood, 
Holds  hand  with  any  princess  of  the  world.  494 

K.  Phi.  What  say'st  thou,  boy?  look  in  the  lady's  face. 

Lew.  I  do,  my  lord ;  and  in  her  eye  I  find 
A  wonder,  or  a  wondrous  miracle, 
The  shadow  of  myself  form'd  in  her  eye ; 

477.  Lest]  F  4;  Least  Ff  1,  2,  3.         486.  a  queen]Ff  i,  2  ;  the  queen  Ff  3,  4. 
487.  Anjou]  So  Pope;  Anglers  Ff.         494.  hand]  F  1 ;  hands  Ff  2,  3,  4. 

477-479.    Lest   zeal   .   .   .  it  was]  breath,  etc.,  should  cool  and  freeze 

Hanmer     puts     the     comma     after  into  its  previous  form  if  advantage 

"  melted,"   thus  making   the   windy  be  not  now  taken." 

breath    of   soft    petitions,   pity    and  480.  the]  Lettsom  suggests  "  ye "  ; 

remorse  do  the  work  of  freezing  zeal  but  Shakespeare's  usage  would  then 

which  is  now  melted.     The  adjective  require  two  "  ye's  " — "  Why  answer 

"  soft,"  however,  clearly  determines  ye  not,  ye  double  majesties." 

the  sense  :  "  Lest  [Jackson  suggests  494.    Holds    hand]    Compare    the 

"  let "]  the  desire  which  the  French  modern    phrase    "  to    touch    elbows 

king  now  has  to  fall  in  with  the  sug-  with,"  i.e.  to  be  the  equal  of. 
gestion,  a  desire  melted  by  the  windy 


sc.  i.]  KING  JOHN  47 

Which,  being  but  the  shadow  of  your  son, 

Becomes  a  sun  and  makes  your  son  a  shadow  :    500 

I  do  protest  I  never  loved  myself 

Till  now  infixed  I  beheld  myself 

Drawn  in  the  flattering  table  of  her  eye. 

[Whispers  with  Blanch. 

Bast.  Drawn  in  the  flattering  table  of  her  eye! 

Hang'd  in  the  frowning  wrinkle  of  her  brow!    505 
And  quarter'd  in  her  heart!  he  doth  espy 
Himself  love's  traitor :  this  is  pity  now, 
That,  hang'd  and  drawn  and  quarter'd,  there  should  be 
In  such  a  love  so  vile  a  lout  as  he. 

Blanch.  My  uncle's  will  in  this  respect  is  mine:  510 

If  he  see  aught  in  you  that  makes  him  like, 
That  any  thing  he  sees,  which  moves  his  liking, 
I  can  with  ease  translate  it  to  my  will; 
Or  if  you  will,  to  speak  more  properly, 
I  will  enforce  it  easily  to  my  !ove.  515 

Further  I  will  not  flatter  you,  my  lord, 
That  all  I  see  in  you  is  worthy  love, 

515.  easily]  Ff  3,  4  ;  easlie  Ff  1,  2. 

503.  table]  "  the  surface  on  which  504-509.  Drawn  in    ...    as  he] 
a   picture   is  painted  "  (Dyce-Little-  Mr.    Worrall  suggests    that    Shake- 
dale).       Fr.     tableau     (?).       Coles,  speare   is  here  mocking  at  the  love 
"  Table     of    Appelles."      Compare  conceits  of  contemporary  sonneteers. 
Sonnet  xxiv.  2  : —  The   sonnet  quoted  to  illustrate  the 
"  Mine  eye  hath  play'd  the  painter,  last  note  is  quite  in  the  vein  which 
and  hath  stell'd  Shakespeare  is  here  caricaturing. 
Thy  beauty's  form  in  table  of  my  512,  513.  That  any  thing  .  .  .  my 
heart  " ;  will]  that  which  he  sees  and  likes  I 
and  Friar  Bacon  (1595),  ed.  Gayley,  can  easily  bring  myself  to  like   too. 
1.  i.  56: —  The  "it"  in  line   513   summing   up 
"  Her  form  is  Beauty's  table,  where  "  That  anything   he   sees  "  is  pleon- 
she  paints  astic. 
The  glories  of  her  gorgious  ex-  517.  all    .    .    .    worthy  love]  all  I 
cellence."  see  in  you  is  worthy  of  love. 


48  KING  JOHN  [act  b. 

Than  this;  that  nothing  do  I  see  in  you, 

Though  churlish  thoughts  themselves   should  be  your 

judge, 
That  I  can  find  should  merit  any  hate.  520 

K.  John.    What   say  these  young  ones  ?     What   say  you, 
my  niece? 

Blanch.  That  she  is  bound  in  honour  still  to  do 
What  you  in  wisdom  still  vouchsafe  to  say. 

K.  John.  Speak  then,   prince  Dauphin  ;   can  you  love  this 
lady? 

Lew.  Nay,  ask  me  if  1  can  refrain  from  love;  525 

For  I  do  love  her  most  unfeignedly. 

K.  John.  Then  do  I  give  Volquessen,  Touraine,   Maine, 
Poictiers,  and  Anjou,  these  five  provinces, 
With  her  to  thee ;  and  this  addition  more, 
Full  thirty  thousand  marks  of  English  coin.  530 

Philip  of  France,  if  thou  be  pleased  withal, 
Command  thy  son  and  daughter  to  join  hands. 

K.   Phi.    It   likes   us   well ;   young    princes,    close    your 
hands. 

523.  still]  will   Pope ;   shall  Steevens  (1785)  (Capell  conj.).  533.  It 

likes    .    .    .    hands]   Rowe ;    It   likes   us   well  young  princes :    close  your 
hands  Ff. 

519.  churlish]  grudging.    Cotgrave  larly."     We  find  the  same  use  in  the 

gives  "  churlish  :  aspre,  rude,  vilain."  north  of  Ireland   dialect     Compare 

Coles      "  churlich      (sic) :       plainly,  Milton,  Comus,  lines  558-560 : — 

homely."    Every  other  Shakespearian  "(Silence)  wished  she  might 

use  of  the  word  can  be  paraphrased  Deny  her  nature,  and  be  never 

by  "  boorish."  more, 

522,    523.     ift//]    often    bore    the  Still  to  be  so  displaced." 

meaning  of  "continually."     It   has  527.     Volquessen]    "The    ancient 

been      borrowed,      probably      from  county    of    the     Velocasses    {pagus 

Elizabethan     English,      into      Mid-  Velocassinus),     whose    capital     was 

Cardigan  and  Carmarthenshire  Welsh,  Rouen;     divided    in    modern    times 

where  "Ymae'n  dyfod  still"  means  into     Vexin     Normand     and    Vexin 

"he  comes  continually"   or  "  regu-  Francais"  (Mr.  Wright). 


sc.  i]  KING  JOHN  49 

Aust.  And  your  lips  too;  for  I  am  well  assured 

That  I  did  so  when  I  was  first  assured.  535 

K.  Phi.  Now,  citizens  of  Angiers,  ope  your  gates, 
Let  in  that  amity  which  you  have  made; 
For  at  Saint  Mary's  chapel  presently 
The  rites  of  marriage  shall  be  solemnized. 
Is  not  the  Lady  Constance  in  this  troop  ?  540 

I  know  she  is  not,  for  this  match  made  up 
Her  presence  would  have  interrupted  much : 
Where  is  she  and  her  son?  tell  me,  who  knows. 

Lew.  She  is  sad  and  passionate  at  your  highness'  tent. 

K.  Phi.  And,   by    my    faith,   this    league    that    we    have 
made  545 

Will  give  her  sadness  very  little  cure. 
Brother  of  England,  how  may  we  content 
This  widow  lady?     In  her  right  we  came; 
Which  we,  God  knows,  have  turn'd  another  way, 
To  our  own  vantage. 

K.  John.  We  will  heal  up  all;  550 

For  we'll  create  young  Arthur  Duke  of  Bretagne 
And  Earl  of  Richmond ;  and  this  rich  fair  town 

539.  rites]  F4;  rights  Ff  i,  2,  3. 

535.  assured]  betrothed.  have  been  pronounced   "  pashnate." 

538.  presently]  immediately.    Com-  The  word  denotes  violence  of  feeling, 

pare  The  Tempest,  iv.  i.  42:   "Pre-  probably  of  grief  in  the  case  of  Con- 

sently  ?  Ay,  with  a  twink."  stance,  not  as  would  suit  the  case  of 

543.  Where  .  .  .  knows]  The  Elinor  "  in  a  passion."  Compare 
punctuation  here  is  that  of  Steevens  Arden  of  Fever  sham,  hi.  v.  45  :  "  How 
(1793).  The  Folios  have  "  sonne,  now,  Alice  ?  what,  sad  and  passion- 
.  .  .  knowes  ?  "  Steevens  evidently  ate  ?  "  and  Middleton,  A  Trick,  iv.  ii. 
takes  it  to  mean  "  Let  him  who  (Mermaid  ed.  p.  53),  where  Witgood 
knows  tell  me !  "  is  lamenting  and  the   "2nd   Gent." 

544.  passionate]  Vaughan  suspected  says  to  him  :  "  Fie  1  you  a  firm 
"passionate  "  owing  to  the  extra  foot  scholar,  and  an  understanding  gentle- 
in  the  line,  but  has  withdrawn  his  sug-  man,  and  give  your  best  parts  to 
gested  alterations.     It  may,  he  says,  passion." 

4 


50  KING  JOHN  [act  h. 

We  make  him  lord  of.     Call  the  Lady  Constance ; 
Some  speedy  messenger  bid  her  repair 
To  our  solemnity:  I  trust  we  shall,  555 

If  not  fill  up  the  measure  of  her  will, 
Yet  in  some  measure  satisfy  her  so 
That  we  shall  stop  her  exclamation. 
Go  we,  as  well  as  haste  will  suffer  us, 
To  this  unlook'd  for,  unprepared  pomp.  560 

[Exeunt  all  but  the  Bastard. 
Bast.  Mad  world  !  mad  kings !  mad  composition ! 
John,  to  stop  Arthur's  title  in  the  whole, 
Hath  willingly  departed  with  a  part : 
And  France,  whose  armour  conscience  buckled  on, 
Whom  zeal  and  charity  brought  to  the  field  565 

As  God's  own  soldier,  rounded  in  the  ear 
With  that  some  purpose-changer,  that  sly  devil, 
That  broker,  that  still  breaks  the  pate  of  faith, 
That  daily  break-vow,  he  that  wins  of  all, 
Of  kings,  of  beggars,  old  men,  young  men,  maids,  570 
Who,  having  no  external  thing  to  lose 

555.  solemnity]  the  marriage  of  the  forth.' "     Mr.  Wright  points  out  that 

Dauphin  and  Blanch.  the    proper    form    of    the    word    is 

561.      composition]        agreement,  "rouned,"   from    A.S.    runian,    and 

Compare     "compound,"     line     281  quotes  Piers  Plowman  (B  text),  iv.  13 : 

supra.  "  And  ritt  rijte  to  resoun,  and  rowneth 

563.  departed    with]   parted  with,  in  his  ere."     Compare  also  Gosson's 

566.  God's  own   soldier]  Compare  Apology  of  the  Schoole  of  Abuse  (ed. 

Macbeth,  v.  viii.  45  i —  Arber,  p.  74) :  "  for  his  Pypers  were 

"  Siw.  Had  he  his  hurts  before  ?  ready  too  rounde  him  in  the  eare,  what 

Ross.   Ay,  on  the  front.  he  should  speake." 

Siw.  Why    then,   God's   soldier  568.  broker]  agent.     The  Bastard 

be  he  1 "  harps  upon  the  connection  of  breaking 

566.  rounded]    whispered.       Com-  with  the  sound  of  "  broker." 

pare  The  Winter's   Tale,  1.  ii.  217:  571,   572.  Who  .   .   .   cheats]    An 

"  They  're    here    with     me    already,  obvious  anacoluthon. 
whispering,  rounding  '  Sicilia  is  a  so- 


sc.  i]  KING  JOHN  51 

But  the  word  "  maid,"  cheats  the  poor  maid  of  that, 

That  smooth-faced  gentleman,  tickling  Commodity, 

Commodity,  the  bias  of  the  world, 

The  world,  who  of  itself  is  peised  well,  575 

Made  to  run  even  upon  even  ground, 

Till  this  advantage,  this  vile-drawing  bias, 

This  sway  of  motion,  this  Commodity, 

Makes  it  take  head  from  all  indifferency, 

From  all  direction,  purpose,  course,  intent:  580 

And  this  same  bias,  this  Commodity, 

This  bawd,  this  broker,  this  all-changing  word, 

Clapp'd  on  the  outward  eye  of  fickle  France, 

Hath  drawn  him  from  his  own  determined  aid, 

From  a  resolved  and  honourable  war,  585 

To  a  most  base  and  vile-concluded  peace. 

And  why  rail  I  on  this  Commodity? 

But  for  because  he  hath  not  woo'd  me  yet: 

Not  that  I  have  the  power  to  clutch  my  hand, 

When  his  fair  angels  would  salute  my  palm ;  590 

But  for  my  hand,  as  unattempted  yet, 

Like  a  poor  beggar,  raileth  on  the  rich. 

Well,  whiles  I  am  a  beggar,  I  will  rail 

573.  tickling']  flattering.     We  still  of    running    out    of    the     straight. 

speak    of    tickling    a    man's    pride.  Peised :  poised,  balanced.    To  "  take 

Compare  Coriolanus,  1.  i.  263  : —  head    from    all   indifferency  "   is    to 

"  Such  a  nature,  leave  impartiality,  to  become  biased. 

Tickled  with  good  success,  dis-  The   "eye,"  according  to  Staunton, 

dains  the  shadow  was  the  aperture  in  the  bowl  where 

Which  he  treads  on  at  noon."  the   leaden  weight,   also   called   the 

Vaughan  would  read  "tickling"  as  "bias,"  was  fixed. 

a  trisyllable.  590.  angels]  the  angel  was  a  gold 

574-580.  Commodity    .   .    .    intent]  coin  worth  ten  shillings  in  Elizabeth's 

The  Bastard  compares  Commodity,  time. 

i.e.    Expediency  or   Self-interest,  to  591.  But    .    .    .    yet]  because   my 

the  leaden  weight  inserted  in  the  side  hand  has  been  untempted  as  yet. 
of  a  bowl  to  give  it"  bias,"  the  power 


52  KING  JOHN  [act  d. 

And  say  there  is  no  sin  but  to  be  rich]; 

And  being  rich,  my  virtue  then  shall  be  595 

To  say  there  is  no  vice  but  beggary. 

Since  kings  break  faith  upon  commodity, 

Gain,  be  my  lord,  for  I  will  worship  thee. 

[Exit. 


ACT  III 
SCENE  I. — The  French  King's  Pavilion. 

Enter  CONSTANCE,  ARTHUR,  and  SALISBURY. 

Const.  Gone  to  be  married !  gone  to  swear  a  peace ! 

False  blood  to  false  blood  join'd !  gone  to  be  friends ! 
Shall    Lewis    have    Blanch,   and    Blanch    those    pro- 
vinces ? 
It  is  not  so;  thou  hast  misspoke,  misheard; 
Be  well  advised,  tell  o'er  thy  tale  again:  5 

It  cannot  be ;  thou  dost  but  say  'tis  so : 
I  trust  I  may  not  trust  thee;  for  thy  word 
Is  but  the  vain  breath  of  a  common  man : 
Believe  me,  I  do  not  believe  thee,  man ; 
I  have  a  king's  oath  to  the  contrary.  10 

Thou  shalt  be  punish'd  for  thus  frighting  me, 
For  I  am  sick  and  capable  of  fears, 
Oppress'd  with  wrongs  and  therefore  full  of  fears, 
A  widow,  husbandless,  subject  to  fears, 
A  woman,  naturally  born  to  fears;  15 

Act    in.]  Actus   Secundus   in   the  14.  widow]  This  is  not  historically 

Folios,  ending  at  line  74.  correct.     At  this  time  Constance  was 

12.  capable  of  fears]  susceptible  to  married   to  a  third  husband,  Guido, 

fears.     Compare  11.  i.  476  supra,  and  brother  to  the  Viscount  of  Touars. 

Greene's    Never    Too    Late    (1600),  She   had    been    divorced    from    her 

p.   95 :  "  Mirimadas  eares  were   not  second   husband,   Ranulph,   Earl    of 

capable  of  any  amorous  persuasion."  Chester. 

53 


54  KING  JOHN  [act  dl 

And  though  thou  now  confess  thou  didst  but  jest, 
With  my  vex'd  spirits  I  cannot  take  a  truce, 
But  they  will  quake  and  tremble  all  this  day. 
What  dost  thou  mean  by  shaking  of  thy  head  ? 
Why  dost  thou  look  so  sadly  on  my  son?  20 

What  means  that  hand  upon  that  breast  of  thine  ? 
Why  holds  thine  eye  that  lamentable  rheum, 
Like  a  proud  river  peering  o'er  his  bounds? 
Be  these  sad  signs  confirmers  of  thy  words? 
Then  speak  again ;  not  all  thy  former  tale,  2  5 

But  this  one  word,  whether  thy  tale  be  true. 

Sal.  As  true  as  I  believe  you  think  them  false 
That  give  you  cause  to  prove  my  saying  true. 

Const.  O,  if  thou  teach  me  to  believe  this  sorrow, 

Teach  thou  this  sorrow  how  to  make  me  die,  30 

And  let  belief  and  life  encounter  so 

As  doth  the  fury  of  two  desperate  men 

Which  in  the  very  meeting  fall  and  die. 

Lewis  marry  Blanch  !     O   boy,  then  where  art  thou  ? 

France  friend  with  England,  what  becomes  of  me?  35 

Fellow,  be  gone :   I  cannot  brook  thy  sight : 

This  news  hath  made  thee  a  most  ugly  man. 

16,  17.  And  .  .  .  truce]  So  Rowe ;  And  .  .  .  jest  with  .  .  .  spirits,  .  .  . 
truce  Ff.         24.  signs]  sighs  Warburton.         27.  you]  you  '11  Keightley. 

17.  cannot]  Pope  printed  "  can  't  "  "  Have  every  pelting  river  made  so 
in  order  to  regularise  the  line.     But  proud 

"  spirits  "    is   often   a    monosyllable,  That  they  have  overborne  their 

and  the  accentuation  of  the  line  in-  continents  " — 

dicates  that  it  is  so  here.  exactly  the  continenti  ripa  of  Horace. 

19-26.     What  dost    .    .    .    be    true]  27,  28.    As   true  .  .  .  saying  true] 

This      may      be      compared      with  Rather  a  roundabout  asseveration,  but 

Northumberland's  speech  on  hearing  quite  in  the  vein  of  early  Shakespeare. 

of  Hotspur's  death  (2  Henry  IV.  i.  1).  36,  37.  Fellow,  be  gone  .  .  .  ugly 

23.     bounds]     containing     banks,  man]  Compare  this  with  Cleopatra's 

Compare     A      Midsummer -Night's  reception  of  bad  news  about  Antony 

Dream,  11.  i.  92: —  (Antony  and  Cleopatra,  11.  v.). 


sc.  i]  KING  JOHN  55 

Sal.  What  other  harm  have  I,  good  lady,  done, 
But  spoke  the  harm  that  is  by  others  done  ? 

Const.  Which  harm  within  itself  so  heinous  is  40 

As  it  makes  harmful  all  that  speak  of  it. 

Arth.   I  do  beseech  you,  madam,  be  content. 

Const.  If  thou,  that  bid'st  me  be  content,  wert  grim, 
Ugly  and  slanderous  to  thy  mother's  womb, 
Full  of  unpleasing  blots  and  sightless  stains,  45 

Lame,  foolish,  crooked,  swart,  prodigious, 
Patch'd  with  foul  moles  and  eye-offending  marks, 
I  would  not  care,  I  then  would  be  content, 
For  then  I  should  not  love  thee,  no,  nor  thou 
Become  thy  great  birth  nor  deserve  a  crown.  50 

But  thou  art  fair,  and  at  thy  birth,  dear  boy, 
Nature  and  Fortune  join'd  to  make  thee  great : 
Of  Nature's  gifts  thou  mayst  with  lilies  boast 
And  with  the  half-blown  rose.     But  Fortune,  O, 
She  is  corrupted,  changed  and  won  from  thee;        55 

45.  and  sightless]  unsightly  Collier  MS. 

45.  sightless]  equivalent  in  mean-  53,  54.  lilies  .  .  .  rose]  These 
ing  to  the  "  unsightly "  of  Collier's  flowers  have  been  generally  deemed 
corrector.  Compare  the  opposite  the  fairest  by  poets.  It  is  interesting 
meaning  of  "  sightly "  (11.  i.  143  to  remember  in  this  connection  that 
supra).  the  lily  is  the  flower  of  France,  the 

46.  swart]  black.  This  was  hide-  rose  that  of  England.  There  are 
ous  in  Elizabethan  eyes.  Compare  many  comparisons  of  the  beauty  of 
Much  Ado  About  Nothing,  v.  iv.  36 :  youths  and  maids  to  the  beauty  of 
"  I  '11  hold  my  mind  were  she  an  lilies  and  roses  to  be  found  in  Shake- 
Ethiope."  speare   and  other   Elizabethan  liter- 

46.  prodigious]  of  the  nature  of  a  ature.        Compare    A     Midsummer- 
prodigy  in  the  worst  sense,  therefore  Night's  Dream,  111.  i.  96 : — 
monstrous.      Compare  Richard  III.         "  Most  lily  like  in  hue 
1.  ii.  22:    "If  ever   he   have   child,  Of  colour  like  the  red  rose." 
abortive  be  it,  Prodigious  .  .  ."     Cot-  See  also  Tennyson's  Maud,  xxii.  9  : — 
grave  has  *'  Prodigieux :  prodigious,         "  Queen  rose  of  the  rosebud  garden 
wondrous,  monstrous,  most  unnatural  of  girls  .  .  . 
or  out  of  course."                                              Queen  lily  and  rose  in  one." 


56  KING  JOHN  [act  dl 

She  adulterates  hourly  with  thine  uncle  John, 

And  with  her  golden  hand  hath  pluck'd  on  France 

To  tread  down  fair  respect  of  sovereignty, 

And  made  his  majesty  the  bawd  to  theirs. 

France  is  a  bawd  to  Fortune  and  King  John,         60 

That  strumpet  Fortune,  that  usurping  John ! 

Tell  me,  thou  fellow,  is  not  France  forsworn? 

Envenom  him  with  words,  or  get  thee  gone, 

And  leave  those  woes  alone  which  I  alone 

Am  bound  to  under-bear. 

Sal.  Pardon  me,  madam,       65 

I  may  not  go  without  you  to  the  kings. 

Const.  Thou  mayst,  thou  shalt ;    I  will  not  go  with  thee : 
I  will  instruct  my  sorrows  to  be  proud ; 
For  grief  is  proud  and  makes  his  owner  stoop. 
To  me  and  to  the  state  of  my  great  grief  70 

Let  kings  assemble;    for  my  grief's  so  great 
That  no  supporter  but  the  huge  firm  earth 
Can  hold  it  up:  here  I  and  sorrow  sit; 
Here  is  my  throne,  bid  kings  come  bow  to  it. 

[Seats  herself  on  the  ground. 

64.  those]  these  F  4. 

56.    She    adulterates]   The   Folios  suspect  "stoop"   and   perhaps  "his 

print  •'  Sh'  adulterates,"  thus  indicat-  owner."    All  the  suggested  emenda- 

ing  the  scansion  ;  meaning  =  "  com-  tions  wrest  some  meaning  out  of  the 

mits  adultery."     This  somewhat  rare  passage,  but  not  one  of  them  carries 

use  is  almost  paralleled  by  Hamlet,  conviction  with  it.    Perhaps  "  proud  " 

1.  v.  41 :  "  that  adulterate  beast  "  =  is  the  corrupt  word,  which  ought  to  be 

that  " adulterous "  beast.  "poor"  (as  suggested  by  H.  A.  C, 

65.  under-bear]  support.  Compare  A  then.  1S67)  or  some  such  equivalent. 
Richard  II.  1.  iv.  29:  "And  patient  This  would  make  Constance  say  in 
underbearing  of  his  fortune."  effect,  "I  will, — in  spite  of  my  grief 

69.  For  grief  .  .  .  stoop]  There  is  which  is  apt  to  bow  me  down  and 
evidently  some  corruption  of  the  text  make  me  humble, — be  proud  in  my 
here,  and  the  context  leads  one   to    sorrow  and  make  kings  come  to  me." 


sc.  i]  KING  JOHN  57 

Enter  KING  JOHN,  KING   PHILIP,  LEWIS,   BLANCH, 

Elinor,  the  Bastard,  Austria,  and  Attendants. 

K.  Phi.  Tis  true,  fair  daughter  ;  and  this  blessed  day  75 
Ever  in  France  shall  be  kept  festival : 
To  solemnise  this  day  the  glorious  sun 
Stays  in  his  course  and  plays  the  alchemist, 
Turning  with  splendour  of  his  precious  eye 
The  meagre  cloddy  earth  to  glittering  gold :  80 

The  yearly  course  that  brings  this  day  about 
Shall  never  see  it  but  a  holiday. 

Const.  A  wicked  day,  and  not  a  holy  day !  \Rising. 

What  hath  this  day  deserved  ?  what  hath  it  done, 
That  it  in  golden  letters  should  be  set  85 

Among  the  high  tides  in  the  calendar? 
Nay,  rather  turn  this  day  out  of  the  week, 
This  day  of  shame,  oppression,  perjury. 
Or,  if  it  must  stand  still,  let  wives  with  child 
Pray  that  their  burthens  may  not  fall  this  day,      90 
Lest  that  their  hopes  prodigiously  be  cross'd : 

82.  holiday]  holy  day  Ff  1,  2,  3  ;  holy-day  F  4. 

77-80.    To  solemnise    .    .    .    gold]  Opening  on   Neptune  with   fair 

Compare  Sonnet  xxxiii. : —  blessed  beams, 

"Full  many   a  glorious  morning  Turns  into  yellow  gold  his  salt 
have  I  seen  green  streams." 
Flatter  the  mountain  tops  with  85.  golden  letters]  Probably  a  refer- 
sovereign  eye,  ence  to  the  "golden  number  "  used  in 
Kissing    with    golden    face  the  calculating  the  feast  days  of  theChurch. 
meadows  green,  86.  tides]  in  the  sense  of  time.  Corn- 
Gilding      pale      streams      with  pare  "Time  and  tide  wait  for  no  man." 
heavenly  alchemy."  "  High  tides  "  would  mean  festival- 
Compare  also  A  Midsummer-Night's  days,  e.g.  Whitsun-tide,  Shrove-tide. 
Dream,  in.  ii.  390: —  90.  fall]  Whether  this  means  "fall 
"  [1]   like   a  forester,   the   groves  due "   or   "  to  fall "   literally  is   not 
may  tread  quite  clear. 
Even  till    the  eastern    gate,   all  91.  prodigiously]  Compare  line  46 
fiery-red,  supra. 


58 


KING  JOHN 


[act  III. 


But  on  this  day  let  seamen  fear  no  wrack ; 

No  bargains  break  that  are  not  this  day  made  : 

This  day,  all  things  begun  come  to  ill  end, 

Yea,  faith  itself  to  hollow  falsehood  change!  95 

K.  Phi.  By  heaven,  lady,  you  shall  have  no  cause 
To  curse  the  fair  proceedings  of  this  day: 
Have  I  not  pawn'd  to  you  my  majesty? 

Const.  You  have  beguiled  me  with  a  counterfeit 

Resembling  majesty,  which,  being  touch'd  and  tried, 


Proves  valueless :  you  are  forsworn,  forsworn ; 
You  came  in  arms  to  spill  mine  enemies'  blood, 
But  now  in  arms  you  strengthen  it  with  yours: 
The  grappling  vigour  and  rough  frown  of  war 
Is  cold  in  amity  and  painted  peace, 


101 


105 


92.  on  this  day]  For  some  inscrut- 
able reason  the  Folios  put  "  on  this 
day  "  within  brackets.  Mr.  Craig  has 
suggested  that  brackets  sometimes 
played  the  part  of  commas  in  F  1. 
See  Cymbehne,  1.  i.  120 : — 

"As   I    (my  poor  selfe)  did    ex- 
change." 
"  But "  here  means  "  except,"  which 
Pope  printed. 

92.  wrack]  I  keep  the  old  form, 
which  indicates  the  pronunciation. 

93-95.  break  .  .  .  come  .  .  . 
change]  These  verbs  here  are  in  the 
subjunctive  mood  expressing  a  wish. 

99.  Counterfeit]  i.e.  a  counterfeit 
coin.  Cf.  Ben  Jonson,  Magnetic 
Lady,  iii.  1  (Routledge,  p.  453  a) : — 
"  had  the  slip  slurr'd  on  me 
A  counterfeit." 
Compare  also  Lyly,  Alexander  and 
Campaspe  (1584),  Prologue  at  Court : 
"  As  yet  we  cannot  tell  what  we 
should  tearme  our  labours,  iron  or 
bullion ;  only  it  belongeth  to  your 
Majestie  to  make  them  fit  either  for 


the  forge  or  the  mynt,  currant  by  the 
stampe  or  counterfeit  by  the  anvill." 

100.  touch'd  and  tried]  tested  by 
being  rubbed  on  a  touchstone.  A 
touchstone  was  generally  made  of 
black  jasper  and  the  trained  eye  could 
tell  the  fineness  of  gold  rubbed  on  it 
by  the  character  of  the  streak  left. 
Compare  Richard  III.  iv.  ii.  8  : — 

"  Now  do  I  play  the  touch, 
To   try  if  thou   be  current  gold 
indeed." 

102, 103.  in  arms]  armed  (line  102) ; 
in  one  another's  arms  (line  103). 
As  Johnson  said,  "  I  am  afraid  here 
is  a  clinch  intended." 

105.  cold]  The  inconsistency  of  the 
metaphor  has  led  to  many  suggestions, 
most  of  them  introducing  other  and 
equally  great  inconsistencies.  It 
seems  to  me  that  the  process  of  trans- 
forming vigour  and  a  frown  into  amity 
may  as  well  be  expressed  by  "  cool- 
ing" as  by  any  other  figure.  I 
therefore  see  no  reason  to  tamper 
with  the  text. 


sc  i]  KING  JOHN  59 

And  our  oppression  have  made  up  this  league. 

Arm,  arm,  you  heavens,  against  these  perjured  kings ! 

A  widow  cries ;  be  husband  to  me,  heavens  ! 

Let  not  the  hours  of  this  ungodly  day 

Wear  out  the  day  in  peace;  but,  ere  sunset,  no 

Set  armed  discord  'twixt  these  perjured  kings ! 

Hear  me,  O,  hear  me! 

Aust.  Lady  Constance,  peace! 

Const.  War!  war!  no  peace!  peace  is  to  me  a  war. 
O  Lymoges !  O  Austria !  thou  dost  shame 
That    bloody    spoil :    thou    slave,    thou    wretch,   thou 
coward !  115 

Thou  little  valiant,  great  in  villany ! 
Thou  ever  strong  upon  the  stronger  side! 
Thou  Fortune's  champion,  that  dost  never  fight 
But  when  her  humorous  ladyship  is  by 
To  teach  thee  safety!  thou  art  perjured  too,  120 

And  soothest  up  greatness.     What  a  fool  art  thou, 
A  ramping  fool,  to  brag  and  stamp  and  swear 

no.  day]  So  Theobald;  dales  F  1 ;  dayes  F  2  ;  days  Ff  3,  4.  122.  and 
stamp]  to  stamp  F  4. 

106.  And  our  .  .  .  this  league]  and         121.    Soothest    up]    i.e.    flatterest, 

your  oppression  of  us  has  joined  you  dost  humour.    The  tendency  so  preva- 

together.  lent  nowadays  to  add  "  up  "  to  verbs 

114.  O  Lymoges  I  O  Austria]  An  without  adding  much  to  the  sense, 
unwarrantable  identification  of  the  except  perhaps  making  the  verb  em- 
Duke  of  Austria  and  the  Viscount  phatic  (e.g.  "  pay  up,"  "  smash  up  "), 
of  Limoges,  two  entirely  different  is  to  be  detected  in  Elizabethan 
people.     See  Introduction.  English.    Compare  Spanish  Tragedy, 

115.  bloody  spoil]  the  lion's  skin  in.  x.  19:  "  Salve  all  suspicions,  only 
which  had  previously  raised  the  ire  soothe  me  up" ;  and  Friar  Bacon 
of  the  Bastard.  (i594)>  !•  »••  21,  22  : — 

119.    humorous]  i.e.  full   of  differ-  "  This    is    a    fairing,   gentle    sir, 

ent  humours,  capricious.      Compare  indeed, 

Love's  Labour 's  Lost,  m.  i.  76 : —  To    soothe    me    up    with    such 

"  I,  that  have  been  love's  whip  ;  smooth  flatterie." 

A  very    beadle   to  a  humorous  122.  ramping]  wildly  gesticulating, 

sigh."  Cotgrave     gives    "  grimpement :     a 


60  KING  JOHN  [act  m. 

Upon  my  party!     Thou  cold-blooded  slave, 
Hast  thou  not  spoke  like  thunder  on  my  side, 
Been  sworn  my  soldier,  bidding  me  depend  125 

Upon  thy  stars,  thy  fortune  and  thy  strength, 
And  dost  thou  now  fall  over  to  my  foes  ? 
Thou  wear  a  lion's  hide  !  doff  it  for  shame, 
And  hang  a  calfs-skin  on  those  recreant  limbs. 

Aust.  O,  that  a  man  should  speak  those  words  to  me !  130 

Bast.  And  hang  a  calfs-skin  on  those  recreant  limbs. 

Aust.  Thou  darest  not  say  so,  villain,  for  thy  life. 

Bast.  And  hang  a  calfs-skin  on  those  recreant  limbs. 

K.  John.  We  like  not  this;    thou  dost  forget  thyself. 

Enter  PANDULPH. 

K.  Phi.  Here  comes  the  holy  legate  of  the  pope.  135 

Pand.  Hail,  you  anointed  deputies  of  heaven  ! 
To  thee,  King  John,  my  holy  errand  is. 
I  Pandulph,  of  fair  Milan  cardinal, 
And  from  Pope  Innocent  the  legate  here, 

131.  calfs  skin]  Capell ;  Calves  skin  Ff  1,  2,  3;  Calves-skin  F  4. 

climbing,   crawling,  creeping,    ramp-  of  a  Kentish  inn  called  the  "  Ramping 

ing,  running  upwards  "  ;  and  "  grim-  Cat "  I 

per:  to  ramp."     "  Lion  rampant "  in  127.  fall  over]  revolt.     Compare 

heraldry  ought  therefore  to  mean  a  1  Henry  IV.  1.  iii.  93 : — 

lion  climbing,  and   this   is  just   the  "  Revolted  Mortimer ! 

attitude    of    the    lions     "  rampant "  He  never  did  fall  off  my  sove- 

given  in   Woodward   and   Burnett's  reign  liege, 

Heraldry,  i.  plate  xxi.     It  would  re-  But  by  the  chance  of  war." 

quire  little   imagination   however  to  129.   calfs-skin]   There  may  be  a 

deem  this  the  representation  of  a  lion  reference  here  to  the  fact  mentioned 

seeking  whom  he  might  devour,  and  by  Sir  John  Hawkins  that  domestic 

there  is  no  doubt  that  in  this  speech  fools  were  clothed  in  a  coat  of  calf  s- 

of  Constance  "ramping"   bears  the  skin.     "Calf"  in  Shakespeare  often 

meaning   of   rushing    wildly    about,  means "  fool." 

As   Mr.  Wright  suggests,  the    lion's  129.  recreant]  cowardly.     See  note 

skin  had  something  to  do  with   the  on  "recreant"  and  "miscreant"  in 

choice  of  epithet.     Mr.  Craig  tells  me  Arden  edition  of  Richard  II. 


sc.  i]  KING  JOHN  61 

Do  in  his  name  religiously  demand  140 

Why  thou  against  the  church,  our  holy  mother, 
So  wilfully  doth  spurn ;  and  force  perforce 
Keep  Stephen  Langton,  chosen  archbishop 
Of  Canterbury,  from  that  holy  see : 
This,  in  our  foresaid  holy  father's  name,  145 

Pope  Innocent,  I  do  demand  of  thee. 
K.  John.  What  earthy  name  to  interrogatories 
Can  task  the  free  breath  of  a  sacred  king  ? 
Thou  canst  not,  cardinal,  devise  a  name 
So  slight,  unworthy  and  ridiculous,  150 

To  charge  me  to  an  answer,  as  the  pope. 
Tell  him  this  tale;   and  from  the  mouth  of  England 
Add  thus  much  more,  that  no  Italian  priest 
Shall  tithe  or  toll  in  our  dominions; 
But  as  we,  under  heaven,  are  supreme  head,  155 

So  under  Him  that  great  supremacy, 
Where  we  do  reign,  we  will  alone  uphold, 
Without  the  assistance  of  a  mortal  hand  : 
So  tell  the  pope,  all  reverence  set  apart 
To  him  and  his  usurp'd  authority.  160 

144.  see]  F  4 ;  Sea  Ff  I,  2,  3.  148.  task]  Theobald ;  tast  Ff  1,  2 ; 

taste  Ff  3,  4 ;  tax  Rowe  (ed.  2). 

140.  religiously]  solemnly,  or  per-  term  for  questions  which  a  witness 

haps,  in  the  name  of  religion.  was  bound  to  answer  faithfully.     "  A 

142.  force    perforce]    by    violent  question     in     legal     examinations " 

means  if  necessary,  by  compulsion.  (Coles'   Diet.).     John  asks   "  whose 

Compare  2  Henry  VI.  I.  i.  258  :  "And,  name  can  sanction  questions  put  to  a 

force  perforce,  I  '11  make  him  yield  the  sacred  king  ?  " 
crown."  154.  tithe  or  toll]  Used  as  verbs  = 

147.   What  earthy  name,  etc.]  John  to  exact  tithe  or  toll, 
here  poses  as  the  defender  of  the  Con-        155.  heaven]  Here  must  be  equiva- 

stitution  against  the  Church.      See  lent  to  God;  see  "Him"  next  line. 

Introduction.  Collier  suggests  reading  "  God." 

147.  interrogatories]    A    technical 


62  KING  JOHN  [act  in. 

K.  Phi.  Brother  of  England,  you  blaspheme  in  this. 

K.  John.  Though  you  and  all  the  kings  of  Christendom 
Are  led  so  grossly  by  this  meddling  priest, 
Dreading  the  curse  that  money  may  buy  out; 
And  by  the  merit  of  vile  gold,  dross,  dust,  165 

Purchase  corrupted  pardon  of  a  man, 
Who  in  that  sale  sells  pardon  from  himself, 
Though  you  and  all  the  rest  so  grossly  led 
This  juggling  witchcraft  with  revenue  cherish, 
Yet  I  alone,  alone  do  me  oppose  170 

Against  the  pope  and  count  his  friends  my  foes. 

Pand.  Then,  by  the  lawful  power  that  I  have, 
Thou  shalt  stand  cursed  and  excommunicate: 
And  blessed  shall  be  he  that  doth  revolt 
From  his  allegiance  to  an  heretic;  175 

And  meritorious  shall  that  hand  be  call'd, 
Canonised  and  worshipp'd  as  a  saint, 

164.  Dreading  .  .  .  out]  Compare  173.  excommunicate]  excommuni- 
Chaucer's  Prologue  to  Canterbury  cated.  English  words  from  a  Latin 
Tales,  lines  654-60 : —  past  participle  in  -atus  are  often  used 

"  He  wolde  techen  him  to  have  non  without  the  -ed  in  the  past. 

awe,  177.  Canonised .  .  .  saint]  Seymour 

In  swich  cas,  of  the  erchedeknes  would  read  *'  Worshipp'd  and  canon- 
curs,  iz'ed  as  a  saint."     But  we  may  read 

But-if  a  mannes  soule  were  in  his  "  canonized    and    worshipp'd     as     a 

purs.  saint,"  which  is  the  accentuation  in 

For  in  his  purs  he  sholde  y-pun-  Hamlet,  1.  iv.  47 : — 

isshed  be.  "  But  tell 

•  Purs  is  the  erchedeknes  helle,'  Why  thy  canbniz'd  bones  hearsed 

seyde  he."  in  death." 

165.  vile]  Nearly  always  spelt  Compare  also  Troilus  and  Cressida, 
"  vilde  "   or  "  vild  "  in  plays  of  this  11.  ii.  202  : — 

period.  "  And  fame  in  time  to  come  canon- 

168,  169.  Though  you  .  .  .  cherish]  ize  us  " ; 

though  you  and  all  the  rest  who  are  and  m.  iv.  52  infra,  where  Seymour 

so  foolishly  led,  help  to  keep  up  this  again  would  needlessly  invert  the  line 

juggling  witchcraft  (i.e.  Popery)  by  for  the  same  reason, 
contributing  monies  towards  it. 


sc.  i.]  KING  JOHN  63 

That  takes  away  by  any  secret  course 
Thy  hateful  life. 

Const.  O,  lawful  let  it  be 

That  I  have  room  with  Rome  to  curse  awhile !     1 80 
Good  father  cardinal,  cry  thou  amen 
To  my  keen  curses ;    for  without  my  wrong 
There  is  no  tongue  hath  power  to  curse  him  right. 

Pand.  There's  law  and  warrant,  lady,  for  my  curse. 

Const.  And  for  mine  too:  when  law  can  do  no  right,  185 
Let  it  be  lawful  that  law  bar  no  wrong: 
Law  cannot  give  my  child  his  kingdom  here, 
For  he  that  holds  his  kingdom  holds  the  law; 
Therefore,  since  law  itself  is  perfect  wrong, 
How  can  the  law  forbid  my  tongue  to  curse?        190 

Pand.  Philip  of  France,  on  peril  of  a  curse, 
Let  go  the  hand  of  that  arch-heretic; 
And  raise  the  power  of  France  upon  his  head, 
Unless  he  do  submit  himself  to  Rome.  194 

Eli.  Look'st  thou  pale,  France  ?  do  not  let  go  thy  hand. 

Const.  Look  to  that,  devil ;  lest  that  France  repent, 
And  by  disjoining  hands,  hell  lose  a  soul. 

Aust.  King  Philip,  listen  to  the  cardinal. 

185.  right,']  right.  Ff.  196.  that,  devil ;]  Pope;  that  devil ;  Ff. 

180.    room  .   .   .   Rome]  It   seems  righted  then  let  no  wrongdoing  at 

evident     that     here     "  room "     and  all  be  hindered.      Law  cannot  give 

"Rome"    were    to    be     pronounced  Arthur    his    kingdom,  for    John    is 

alike.    That  "  Rome  "  was  pronounced  master  of  the  law ;  therefore  since 

"room"    is    shown    by    rhymes    in  the  law  itself  is  "  perfect  wrong,"  how 

Lucrece,  715  and  717,  1644  and  1645.  can   I  be  rightfully  restrained  from 

Compare  also  Julius  Casar,  1.  ii.  156  :  cursing.     This  mixture  of  quibbling 

"  Now  is  it  Rome  indeed  and  room  with  passionate  argument  is  charac- 

enough."  teristic  of  this  play. 

185.  when   law   can  do  no   right,  193.    raise    the   power  .  .  .  head] 

etc.]  when  the  law  cannot  see  people  lead  the  French  forces  against  him. 


64  KING  JOHN  [act  hi. 

Bast.  And  hang  a  calfs-skin  on  his  recreant  limbs. 
Aust.  Well,  ruffian,  I  must  pocket  up  these  wrongs,     200 

Because — 
Bast.  Your  breeches  best  may  carry  them. 

K.  John.  Philip,  what  say'st  thou  to  the  cardinal? 
Const.  What  should  he  say,  but  as  the  cardinal? 
Lew.  Bethink  you,  father;  for  the  difference 

Is  purchase  of  a  heavy  curse  from  Rome,  205 

Or  the  light  loss  of  England  for  a  friend: 

Forgo  the  easier. 
Blanch.  That's  the  curse  of  Rome. 

Const.  O  Lewis,  stand  fast !  the  devil  tempts  thee  here 

In  likeness  of  a  new  untrimmed  bride. 
Blanch.  The  Lady  Constance  speaks  not  from  her  faith, 

But  from  her  need.  211 

207.  That  '5]  That  s  Ff  1  ;  That  is  Ff  2,  3,  4. 

iog.  And  hang  .  .  .  recreant  limbs]  aside  the  trimmings  in  which  she  had 

The  Bastard  takes   little   interest  in  been  married.     Schmidt  drew  atten- 

the  wrongs  of  either  party.    He  seems  tion    in   this  connection    to  Sonnet 

only  too  delighted  that  mischief  is  xviii. : — 

afoot  and  takes  the   opportunity  to  "And  every   fair  from  fair  some- 

worry  Austria.  times  declines, 

203.    What  .  .  .  cardinal  ?]  what  By  chance  or  nature's  changing 

should     he    say,    except    what     the  course  untrimmed." 

Cardinal  has  already  said  ?  White   says    '*  untrimmed  =  in    des- 

207.  the  curse  of  Rome]  To  Blanch  habille,"  which  is  hardly  likely,  even 

the  curse  of  Rome  would  be  the  lesser  though   the   marriage  was  suddenly 

of  two  evils,  for  if  John  and   Philip  clapped  up.     Others  see  an  allusion 

fell  out  she  would  have  to  oppose  her  to  the  bride's  going   to  church  with 

friends  to  her  husband  and  his  friends,  her      hair      dishevelled.        Compare 

This    course  she   has  to    take   ulti-  Webster,    Vittoria  Corrombona    (ed. 

mately.  Dyce,  p.    27,  col.    1) :     "  Let    them 

209.  new  untrimmed]  "  Trim  "  in  dangle  loose  as  a  bride's  hair."  The 
Elizabethan  English  means  gaily  emendations  are  "  new  and  trimmed  " 
decked.  Compare  the  use  as  a  verb  (Theobald,  who  also  conjectured 
in  Romeo  and  J  uliet,  iv.  iv.  24  :  "Go  "new  untamed"  or  "new  be- 
waken  Juliet,  go  and  trim  her  up."  trimmed  "),  "  new  uptrimmed  " 
Taking  the  passage  as  it  stands,  we  (Dyce),  "new  entrimmed"  (Richard- 
may  explain  it  by  supposing  Con-  son  conj.),  "  new  untamed "  (Vaug- 
stance  to  mean  that  Blanch  was  a  han,  agreeing  with  Theobald's  conj.), 
new-made    bride    having    just    laid  "new-intervened"  (Herr  conj.). 


sc  l]  KING  JOHN  65 

Const.  O,  if  thou  grant  my  need, 

Which  only  lives  but  by  the  death  of  faith, 
That  need  must  needs  infer  this  principle, 
That  faith  would  live  again  by  death  of  need.       214 
O  then,  tread  down  my  need,  and  faith  mounts  up; 
Keep  my  need  up,  and  faith  is  trodden  down ! 

K.  John.  The  king  is  moved,  and  answers  not  to  this. 

Const.  O,  be  removed  from  him,  and  answer  well ! 

Aust.  Do  so,  King  Philip ;  hang  no  more  in  doubt. 

Bast.   Hang  nothing  but  a  calfs-skin,  most  sweet  lout.    220 

K.  Phi.   I  am  perplex'd,  and  know  not  what  to  say. 

Pand.  What  canst  thou  say  but  will  perplex  thee  more, 
If  thou  stand  excommunicate  and  cursed  ? 

K.  Phi.  Good  reverend  father,  make  my  person  yours, 
And  tell  me  how  you  would  bestow  yourself.         225 
This  royal  hand  and  mine  are  newly  knit, 
And  the  conjunction  of  our  inward  souls 
Married  in  league,  coupled  and  link'd  together 
With  all  religious  strength  of  sacred  vows ; 
The  latest  breath  that  gave  the  sound  of  words    230 
Was  deep-sworn  faith,  peace,  amity,  true  love 
Between  our  kingdoms  and  our  royal  selves, 
And  even  before  this  truce,  but  new  before, 
No  longer  than  we  well  could  wash  our  hands 
To  clap  this  royal  bargain  up  of  peace,  235 

233.  but  new  before^]  but  new — before —  Seymour  conj. 

227.    And    the    conjunction,    etc.]  233.  but  new  before]  only  just  be- 
There  is  a  looseness  of  construction  fore. 

in  this  sentence,  for,  although  "  con-  235.  clap  .  .  .  up]  A  bargain  or  a 

junction "    is    the    subject    of  "  (is)  wager  was  sealed  by  a  handshake, 

married,"  "(is)  coupled,"  and  "(is)  There  are  numerous  instances  in  plays 

linked,"    these    participles  agree   in  of  the   period.      Compare   Gosson's 

meaning  with  "  inward  souls."  To  the  Gentlewomen  of  London  (ed. 

5 


66  KING  JOHN  [act  ... 

Heaven  knows,  they  were   besmear  d  and  overstain'd 
With  slaughter's  pencil,  where  revenge  did  paint 
The  fearful  difference  of  incensed  kings: 
And  shall  these  hands,  so  lately  purged  of  blood, 
So  newly  join'd  in  love,  so  strong  in  both,  240 

Unyoke  this  seizure  and  this  kind  regreet  ? 
Play  fast  and  loose  with  faith?   so  jest  with  heaven, 
Make  such  inconstant  children  of  ourselves, 
As  now  again  to  snatch  our  palm  from  palm, 
Unswear  faith  sworn,  and  on  the  marriage-bed       245 
Of  smiling  peace  to  march  a  bloody  host, 
And  make  a  riot  on  the  gentle  brow 
Of  true  sincerity?     O,  holy  sir, 
My  reverend  father,  let  it  not  be  so! 
Out  of  your  grace,  devise,  ordain,  impose  250 

Some  gentle  order ;  and  then  we  shall  be  blest 
To  do  your  pleasure  and  continue  friends. 
Pand.  All  form  is  formless,  order  orderless, 
%  Save  what  is  opposite  to  England's  love. 
Therefore  to  arms!  be  champion  of  our  church,    255 
Or  let  the  church,  our  mother,  breathe  her  curse, 
A  mother's  curse,  on  her  revolting  son. 
France,  thou  mayst  hold  a  serpent  by  the  tongue, 

Arber,   p.  59):  "and  the  match  (is)  give.      Compare   Richard  II.   1.    iii. 

made,  ere  you  strike   hands " ;  and  142 :    "  Shall   not    regreet    our    fair 

Middleton,  A  Trick,  iii.  1  (Mermaid  dominions." 

ed.    p.    39):  "Come,   clap   hands,  a        242.  Play  fast  and  loose]  originally 

match."  to  play  at  a  cheating  game  in  which 

240.  so  strong  in  both]  i.e.  hands  the  gull  had  no  chance  (see  Appendix) ; 
strong  in  fight  and  strong  in  friend-  then  to  deal  dishonourably. 

ship.  253,254.  All  form  .  .  .  England's 

241.  regreet]  greeting  once  again,  love]  Everything  is  null  and  void 
therefore  r«-agreement,  not  merely  except  what  is  directly  opposed  to 
greeting  or  salutation  as  most  editors  love  towards  England. 


sc  l]  KING  JOHN  67 

A  chafed  lion  by  the  mortal  paw, 

A  fasting  tiger  safer  by  the  tooth,  260 

Than  keep  in  peace  that  hand  which  thou  dost  hold. 

K.  Phi.  I  may  disjoin  my  hand,  but  not  my  faith. 

Pand.  So  makest  thou  faith  an  enemy  to  faith; 
And  like  a  civil  war  set'st  oath  to  oath, 
Thy  tongue  against  thy  tongue.     O,  let  thy  vow  265 
First  made  to  heaven,  first  be  to  heaven  perform'd, 
That  is,  to  be  the  champion  of  our  church. 
What  since  thou  sworest  is  sworn  against  thyself 
And  may  not  be  performed  by  thyself, 
For  that  which  thou  hast  sworn  to  do  amiss  270 

Is  not  amiss  when  it  is  truly  done, 
And  being  not  done,  where  doing  tends  to  ill, 
The  truth  is  then  most  done  not  doing  it : 
The  better  act  of  purposes  mistook 
Is  to  mistake  again;  though  indirect,  275 

259.  chafed]  So  Theobald  ;  cased  Ff. 

259.  chafed]  None  of  the  suggested  the  paw.     If  we  retain  "  chafed  "  we 

meanings    for   the   "  cased "   of  the  must  of  course   assume   it  to  mean 

Folios  seems  satisfactory.  Mr.  Moore-  "  enraged." 

Smith  says  "  the  point  of  the  epithet  268.  What  since  thou  sworest,  etc.] 
would  seem  to  be  that  if  the  lion  were  "What  you  have  sworn  since  then  is 
shut  in,  the  man  would  be  shut  in  sworn  against  yourself  and  cannot  be 
also,  and  so  much  more  courage  would  performed  by  you,  for  what  wrong 
be  required."  I  fail  to  see  why  the  you  have  sworn  to  do  is  not  wrong 
man  should  be  supposed  to  be  shut  if  truly  performed,  and  if  you  do  it 
in.  Henry  VIII.  in.  ii.  206,  207,  not,  because  the  doing  of  it  would  be 
supports  Theobald : —  wrong,  then  you  are  most  truly  per- 
'*  so  looks  the  chafed  lion  forming  it  by  not  doing  it."  An 
Upon  the  daring  huntsman  who  excellent  bit  of  sophistry,  quite  in  the 
has  gall'd  him."  early  Shakespearian  vein. 
There  is  something  to  be  said  for  275-278.  though  indirect  .  .  .  new- 
Pope's  reading,  "  chased,"  which  burn'd]  though  in  not  keeping  your 
would  hold  also  in  the  Henry  VIII.  vow  you  are  turning  from  the  straight, 
passage.  A  lion  that  had  been  hunted  yet  since  you  are  already  on  the 
and,  so  to  speak,  driven  to  bay,  would  wrong  path  this  very  turning  will 
not  be  a  pleasant  creature  to  take  by  bring  you   back   to   the  right   path. 


68  KING  JOHN  [act  m. 

Yet  indirection  thereby  grows  direct, 

And  falsehood  falsehood  cures,  as  fire  cools  fire 

Within  the  scorched  veins  of  one  new-burn'd 

It  is  religion  that  doth  make  vows  kept; 

But  thou  hast  sworn  against  religion,  280 

By    what    thou    swear'st    against    the    thing  thou 

swear'st, 
And  makest  an  oath  the  surety  for  thy  truth 
Against  an  oath :  the  truth  thou  art  unsure 
To  swear,  swears  only  not  to  be  forsworn  ; 
Else  what  a  mockery  should  it  be  to  swear !         285 
But  thou  dost  swear  only  to  be  forsworn ; 
And  most  forsworn,  to  keep  what  thou  dost  swear. 
Therefore  thy  later  vows  against  thy  first 
Is  in  thyself  rebellion  to  thyself; 
And  better  conquest  never  canst  thou  make  290 

278.  scorched]  Ff  1,  2  ;  scorching  Ff  3,  4.  282,  283.  truth,  Against  an 

oath  the  truth,]  Ff  i,  2  ;  truth  :  Against  an  oath  the  truth,  Ff  3,  4.         288. 
later]  Ff  1,  2  ;  latter  Ff  3,  4. 

Compare  The  Merchant  of  Venice,  iv.  give  a  meaning   which  Shakespeare 

i.  216  :  "  To  do  a  great  right,  do  a  never  intended.     Lines  280,  281  are 

little  wrong."  awkward,  but  can  be  taken  to  mean 

281.  But  what  thou  swear'st,  etc.]  — "  You  have  sworn  against  religion 

Mr.  Wright  says  that  the  language  is  by  calling  in  religion  to  witness  an 

made  intentionally  obscure.  Although  oath  which  will  do  her  harm."     "  The 

this  passage  is  undoubtedly  obscure,  truth  .  .  .  forsworn "  is  the   phrase 

I  cannot  admit  that  Shakespeare  ever  that  offers  most  difficulty.     It  yields 

deliberately  made  a  serious  character  sense  by  supposing  it  to  be  a  slight 

speak  obscurely.    Besides,  the  general  digression  from  the  main  argument, 

argument  here  is  plain  enough — Of  meaning — "  and  when  you  are  asked 

two  oaths  the  greater,  that  taken  to  to  take  an  oath  of  which  you  are  not 

God  and  the  Church,  absolves  Philip  sure  of  the  consequences   (such  as, 

from  the  consequences  of  breaking  a  Pandulph  would  imply,  the  oath  you 

lesser,  that  plighted   to  John,  if  the  took  with  John),  you  only  swear  not 

lesser   oath   is  contrary  to  the  first,  to  be  forsworn,  i.e.  on  condition  that 

Most    editors   and    critics   have    at-  it  is   not  contrary   to   some  greater 

tempted  to  better   the   passage,   but  oath." 

the  alterations  seem  so  violent  that,  289.  Is]  Explained  as  agreeing  in 

as  Mr.  Wright  says  about  Staunton  number  with  rebellion  and  not  with 

and    Hudson's  readings,    they   may  vows. 


sc. 


i.]  KING  JOHN  69 


Than  arm  thy  constant  and  thy  nobler  parts 
Against  these  giddy  loose  suggestions : 
Upon  which  better  part  our  prayers  come  in, 
If  thou  vouchsafe  them.     But  if  not,  then  know 
The  peril  of  our  curses  light  on  thee  295 

So  heavy  as  thou  shalt  not  shake  them  off, 
But  in  despair  die  under  their  black  weight 

Aust.  Rebellion,  flat  rebellion! 

Bast.  Will't  not  be? 

Will  not  a  calfs-skin  stop  that  mouth  of  thine? 

Lew.  Father,  to  arms ! 

Blanch.  Upon  thy  wedding-day?  300 

Against  the  blood  that  thou  hast  married  ? 
What,  shall  our  feast  be  kept  with  slaughtered  men  ? 
Shall  braying  trumpets  and  loud  churlish  drums, 
Clamours  of  hell,  be  measures  to  our  pomp? 
O  husband,  hear  me!  ay,  alack,  how  new  305 

Is  husband  in  my  mouth!  even  for  that  name, 
Which  till  this  time  my  tongue  did  ne'er  pronounce, 
Upon  my  knee  I  beg,  go  not  to  arms 
Against  mine  uncle. 

Const.  O,  upon  my  knee, 

Made  hard  with  kneeling,  I  do  pray  to  thee,         310 
Thou  virtuous  Dauphin,  alter  not  the  doom 
Forethought  by  heaven ! 

305.  ay,]  Ff;  ah  I  Theobald.  309-312.  Against  .  .  .  heaven !]  Pope's 

arrangement ;  Folios  end  the  lines  kneeling  .  .  .  Dauphin  .  .  .  heaven. 

295.  peril    .    .    .    light]  Note  con-  thet  was  applied  to  the  drum  once 

fusion   of  number;  peril   grammati-  before  (see  11.  i.  76  supra). 

cal  subj.  to  light,  but  them  showing  304.  measures']  The  accompanying 

that  curses  was   treated  as  subj.  in  music  to  our  wedding  festivities, 

meaning.  312.    Forethought]    foreseen,    and 

303.  churlish]  This  expressive  epi-  therefore,  since  "foreseen  by  heaven," 


70  KING  JOHN  [act  ru. 

Blanch.  Now  shall  I  see  thy  love:  what  motive  may 

Be  stronger  with  thee  than  the  name  of  wife? 
Const.  That  which  upholdeth  him  that  thee  upholds,     315 

His  honour:  O,  thine  honour,  Lewis,  thine  honour! 
Lew.  I  muse  your  majesty  doth  seem  so  cold, 

When  such  profound  respects  do  pull  you  on. 
Pand.  I  will  denounce  a  curse  upon  his  head. 
K.  Phi.   Thou  shalt  not  need.      England,  I  will  fall   from 
thee.  320 

Const.  O  fair  return  of  banish'd  majesty! 
Eli.  O  foul  revolt  of  French  inconstancy! 
K.  John.  France,  thou  shalt  rue  this  hour  within  this  hour. 
Bast.  Old  Time  the  clock-setter,  that  bald  sexton  Time, 

Is  it  as  he  will?  well  then,  France  shall  rue.  325 

Blanch.  The  sun 's  o'ercast  with  blood :  fair  day,  adieu ! 

Which  is  the  side  that  I  must  go  withal,? 

I  am  with  both :  each  army  hath  a  hand  ; 

And  in  their  rage,  I  having  hold  of  both, 

foreordained.      Compare   Cymbeline,  course   no   idea  of  impeachment  or 

in.  iv.  171 : —  accusation. 

"  Fore-thinking  this,  I  have  already  320.  fall  from   thee]    leave   your 

fit —  party.    Mr.  Wright  quotes  Heywood, 

Tis  in  my  cloak  bag — doublet,  2  Edward  IV.  i.  6: — 

hat,  hose  .  .  ."  '*  If  he  will  recant 

Cotgrave  has  " premedite  :   premedi-  And  fall  from  Lewis  again." 

tated,  forethought  of."  322.  French  inconstancy]  Compare 

317.  /  muse]  I  marvel.  Compare  a  curious  passage  in  Gosson's  Schoole 
Two  Gentlemen  of  Verona,  1.  iii.  64:  of  Abuse  (ed.  Arber,  p.  34):  "We 
"  Muse  not  that  I  thus  suddenly  pro-  have  robbed  Greece  of  gluttonie,  Italy 
ceed."  of    wantonnesse,    Spaine    of    pride, 

318.  respects]  considerations.  See  Fraunce  of  deceite,  and  Dutchland 
Hamlet,  m.  i.  68  : —  of  quaffing." 

"  There  's  the  respect  324,  325.  Old  Time  .  .  .  shall  rue] 

That  makes  calamity  of  so  long  The    Bastard  remarks   after    John's 

life  "  ;  threat,  "  If  it 's  merely  a  matter  of 

and  compare  v.  iv.  41  infra.  time  France  shall  rue."     This  lacks 

319.  denounce]  merely  equivalent  the  usual  salt  of  theBastard's  speeches, 
to  our  "  proclaim  "  ;   it  contains  of  and  the  text  has  been  suspected. 


sc.  ij  KING  JOHN  71 

They  whirl  asunder  and  dismember  me.  330 

Husband,  I  cannot  pray  that  thou  mayst  win ; 
Uncle,  I  needs  must  pray  that  thou  mayst  lose ; 
Father,  I  may  not  wish  the  fortune  thine; 
Grandam,  I  will  not  wish  thy  wishes  thrive : 
Whoever  wins,  on  that  side  shall  I  lose;  335 

Assured  loss  before  the  match  be  play'd. 

Lew.  Lady,  with  me,  with  me  thy  fortune  lies. 

Blanch.  There  where  my  fortune  lives,  there  my  life  dies. 

K.  John.  Cousin,  go  draw  our  puissance  together. 

[Exit  Bastard. 
France,  I  am  burn'd  up  with  inflaming  wrath ;      340 
A  rage  whose  heat  hath  this  condition, 
That  nothing  can  allay,  nothing  but  blood, 
The  blood,  and  dearest-valued  blood,  of  France. 

K.  Phi.  Thy  rage  shall  burn  thee  up,  and  thou  shalt  turn 
To  ashes,  ere  our  blood  shall  quench  that  fire:  345 
Look  to  thyself,  thou  art  in  jeopardy. 

K.  John.    No  more  than  he  that   threats.     To  arms   let's 
hie !  {Exeunt. 

337.  lies]  lives  Capell.  341.  this]  a  Vaughan  conj.  342.  allay] 

alloy't  Dyce  (ed.  2)  (Capell  conj.). 

339.     Cousin]    Loosely    used    for  conjectures       "  the      dearest-valued 

kinsman     in     Elizabethan     English,  blue."     The   text,    however,    is    de- 

Cotgrave   has  "  Cousin :    a  cosin   or  fensible.      John    says    nothing    can 

kinsman."  allay  his  rage  but  blood ;  he  is  going 

339.    puissance]    powers,     forces,  to  state  that  it  must  be  French  blood, 

Sometimes  a  dissyllable,  here  a  tri-  and    when    half-way    through     the 

syllable.  sentence,     he     sees     a    method    of 

343.  The  blood    .    .    .    blood]  The  heightening  the  effect  and  interjects 

repetition  of  the  word  "blood"  has  "and      (that      the)      dearest- valued 

led  to  emendation.     Hudson  prints,  blood." 

after  a  suggestion  of  Sidney  Walker's,  346.    jeopardy]     danger,     hazard. 

"  The  best  and  dearest  valued  blood."  Mr.   Wright    derives  this    from  jeu 

Hudson  also   suggests   "  The   blood,  parti,  a  game  where  the  risk  is  evenly 

the  dearest-valued    blood."     Bulloch  divided. 


72  KING  JOHN  [act  bl 


SCENE  II. —  The  same.     Plains  near  Angiers. 

Alarums,  excursions.     Enter  the  BASTARD,  with  Austria's 

head. 

Bast.  Now,  by  my  life,  this  day  grows  wondrous  hot; 
Some  airy  devil  hovers  in  the  sky, 
And  pours  down  mischief.     Austria's  head  lie  there, 
While  Philip  breathes. 

Enter  KING  JOHN,  ARTHUR,  and  HUBERT. 

K.  John.  Hubert,  keep  this  boy.     Philip,  make  up :  5 

My  mother  is  assailed  in  our  tent, 

And  ta'en,  I  fear. 
Bast.  My  lord,  I  rescued  her ; 

Her  highness  is  in  safety,  fear  you  not : 

But  on,  my  liege;  for  very  little  pains 

Will  bring  this  labour  to  an  happy  end.  10 

{Exeunt. 

2.  airy}  fiery  Theobald  (Warburton).  7.  ta'en]  Rowe;  tone  Ff. 

2.  airy]  belonging  to  the  air,  aerial.  "  There,  Hubert"  ;  Keightley,  "  Here, 
Compare  the  old  list  of  dramatis  Hubert " ;  Fleay,  "  Good  Hubert." 
persona  in  The  Tempest:  "Ariel,  an  Rann,  after  a  conjecture  of  Tyrwhitt's, 
ayrie  Spirit";  also  Webster,  The  inserts  "  thou  "  after  "  keep."  Theo- 
Devil's  Law  Case,  v.  5  (ed.  Dyce,  p.  bald  reads  "  Richard  "  and  Hanmer 
143) :  "  The  devil  that  rules  in  the  '*  Cousin "  for  *'  Philip."  It  would 
air  hangs  in  their  light."  This  line  be  equally  natural  for  King  John  and 
also  occurs  in  the  Duchess  of  Malfi,  for  Shakespeare  to  forget  the  Bastard's 
11.  i.  (Dyce,  p.  67).  Spirits  were  change  of  name, 
divided  into  four  classes  inhabiting  5.  make  up]  move  onward.  Corn- 
respectively  the  four  elements,  air,  pare  1  Henry  IV.  v.  iv.  4,  5  : — 
fire,  earth  and  water.  "  I    do     beseech     your    majesty, 

5.  Hubert  .  .  .  make  up]   Editors  make  up, 

have  been  unwilling  to  let  this  line  Lest  your  retirement  do  amaze 

remain      defective.        Pope      reads  your  friends." 


sc  in]  KING  JOHN  73 

SCENE  III.— The  same. 

Alarums,  excursions,  retreat.     Enter  KING  JOHN,  ELINOR, 
Arthur,  the  Bastard,  Hubert,  and  Lords. 

K.  John.   [To  Elinor :]   So   shall   it  be;   your  grace  shall 
stay  behind 

So  strongly  guarded.     [To  Arthur.]     Cousin,  look  not 
sad : 

Thy  grandam  loves  thee;  and  thy  uncle  will 

As  dear  be  to  thee  as  thy  father  was. 
Arth.  O,  this  will  make  my  mother  die  with  grief!         5 
K.  John.    [To  the   Bastard.]   Cousin,    away   for  England ! 
haste  before: 

And,  ere  our  coming,  see  thou  shake  the  bags 

Of  hoarding  abbots;  imprisoned  angels 

Set  at  liberty:  the  fat  ribs  of  peace 

Must  by  the  hungry  now  be  fed  upon  :  10 

Use  our  commission  in  his  utmost  force. 
Bast.  Bell,  book,  and  candle  shall  not  drive  me  back, 

When  gold  and  silver  becks  me  to  come  on. 

I  leave  your  highness.     Grandam,  I  will  pray, 

If  ever  I  remember  to  be  holy,  15 

For  your  fair  safety;  so,  I  kiss  your  hand. 

2.  So]  Lettsom's  conjecture,  adopt-  proposed    transposition,    printed    by 

ed  by  Hudson,  of  "  More"  for  "So"  Grant    White,   is    the   least    violent 

seems  very  plausible.     The  printer's  way   out    of    the    difficulty,    if    real 

error   can   be   explained   by  his   eye  difficulty  there  be.     He  would  read 

having  caught  the  "  So  "  of  the  pre-  "  set  at  liberty,  Imprisoned  angels." 
vious  line — a  common  failing  among         12.  Bell,    book,    and    candle]   The 

printers.  "  properties "  necessary  for  the  per- 

8,  9.  imprisoned  .  .  .  liberty]  The  formance   of   the    Catholic   curse   of 

want  of  rhythm  in  these  lines  has  led  excommunication;     referred     to    in 

to    emendation.       Sidney  'Walker's  Kynge  Johan. 


74  KING  JOHN  [act  m. 

Eli.  Farewell,  gentle  cousin. 

K.  John.  Coz,  farewell. 

[Exit  Bastard. 

Eli.  Come  hither,  little  kinsman  ;  hark,  a  word. 

K.  John.  Come  hither,  Hubert.     O  my  gentle  Hubert, 
We  owe  thee  much !  within  this  wall  of  flesh  20 

There  is  a  soul  counts  thee  her  creditor, 
And  with  advantage  means  to  pay  thy  love: 
And,  my  good  friend,  thy  voluntary  oath 
Lives  in  this  bosom,  dearly  cherished. 
Give  me  thy  hand.     I  had  a  thing  to  say,  25 

But  I  will  fit  it  with  some  better  time. 
By  heaven,  Hubert,  I  am  almost  ashamed 
To  say  what  good  respect  I  have  of  thee. 

Hub.  I  am  much  bounden  to  your  majesty. 

K.  John.  Good  friend,  thou  hast  no  cause  to  say  so  yet,      30 
But  thou  shalt  have ;  and  creep  time  ne'er  so  slow, 
Yet  it  shall  come  for  me  to  do  thee  good. 
I  had  a  thing  to  say,  but  let  it  go: 
The  sun  is  in  the  heaven,  and  the  proud  day, 
Attended  with  the  pleasures  of  the  world,  35 

Is  all  too  wanton  and  too  full  of  gawds 
To  give  me  audience:  if  the  midnight  bell 
Did,  with  his  iron  tongue  and  brazen  mouth, 

26.  time]  Pope ;  tune  Ff. 

22.    advantage]    Mr.    Wright    and  in   1    Henry  IV.  n.  iv.    599,     "The 

Mr.     Moore-Smith    explain    this    as  money  shall  be  paid  back  with  ad- 

"  interest."     It   is  true  that  the  line  vantage,"   means  something  thrown 

may  be  paraphrased  "  I  mean  to  pay  into   the    bargain,   more    than    one 

back  thy  love  with  interest,"  because  can  legally  expect.      See  Cotgrave, 

our  modern  phrase  "with   interest"  "Avantagc :  .  .  .  an  advantage,  .  .  . 

really  means  more  than  mere  legally  overplus,  addition,  eeking." 
due    interest.     The  word    here   and        28.  respect]  opinion,  esteem. 


sc.  in.]  KING  JOHN  75 

Sound  on  into  the  drowsy  ear  of  night; 

If  this  same  were  a  churchyard  where  we  stand,     40 

And  thou  possessed  with  a  thousand  wrongs ; 

Or  if  that  surly  spirit,  melancholy, 

Had  baked  thy  blood  and  made  it  heavy-thick, 

Which  else  runs  tickling  up  and  down  the  veins, 

Making  that  idiot,  laughter,  keep  men's  eyes  45 

And  strain  their  cheeks  to  idle  merriment, 

A  passion  hateful  to  my  purposes ; 

Or  if  that  thou  couldst  see  me  without  eyes, 

Hear  me  without  thine  ears,  and  make  reply 

Without  a  tongue,  using  conceit  alone,  50 

Without  eyes,  ears  and  harmful  sound  of  words; 

Then,  in  despite  of  brooded  watchful  day, 

43.  heavy-thick]  Pope  ;  heavy,  thick  Ff.  44.  tickling]  trickling  Grey 

conj. ;  tingling  Collier  MS. 

39.  ear]  So   printed  by   Dyce  and  52.        brooded]        Even       though 

Staunton  after  conjectures  of  Collier  "  brooded"  be  equivalent  to  "brood- 

and    Sidney    Walker.      The    Folios  ing,"  as  Mr.  Wright   points   out,  it 

have  "  race,"  which  is  therefore  sup-  does   not    seem   an   apt   epithet   for 

posed  to   have   been   a  misprint  for  "  day "  in  this  connection.     Cotgrave 

"  eare."     For  " on  "  Theobald  printed  gives  "  Accouve ;  brooded:   set  close 

"one."      But    as  Vaughan   pointed  on,  crouded  (crouched?)   over;   also 

out  the  midnight  bell  does  not  sound  covered,  hidden,  overshadowed,"  thus 

one!      Delius    conjectured     "on!"  vouching  for  the  form  of  the  word  in 

Wetherell      "not"      and       Bulloch  -ed,  but   proving   the   inapplicability 

"  dong."     Other  emendations  of  the  of  the  meaning.     The  day  cannot  be 

line   have   been    proposed,   but  with  proud,   wanton    and   full    of  gawds, 

the   single  alteration   of  "  race "   to  attended  with   the  pleasures  of  the 

"ear"  it  gives  perfectly  good  sense.  world,  watchful  and  at  the  same  time 

45.  keep]  occupy.    Compare  Love's  brooded.     Pope  reads  "  broad-ey'd," 

Labour's  Lost,  iv.  iii.    324:  "Other  Collier    MS.    "the    broad,"    Delius 

slow   arts  entirely   keep  the  brain."  after  a  conj.  of  Mason's,  "  brooded- 

Mr.  P.  A.  Daniel  points  out  that  in  watchful."     An   anonymous  conj.  in 

The   Puritan,   in.    vi.    592,   we   find  Halliwell   suggests  "broody,"  while 

"  we  '11  steep  Our  eyes  in  laughter."  Vaughan    has    withdrawn   his    sug- 

50.  conceit]  in  Elizabethan  English  gestion   of  "  bruited."     Perhaps  the 

often  means  imagination.     Compare  Delius-Mason    reading   is   the    least 

Richard  II.  11.  ii.  33 :  "'Tis  nothing  objectionable,   taking   "brooded"   to 

but  conceit,  my  gracious  lady."     Here  be  an  epithet  applied  to  watchful,  the 

it  has  a  wider  meaning,  equivalent  to  day  being  as  watchful  as  a  sitting  bird; 

"  some  intangible  power  of  the  mind."  but  even  this  is  far  from  satisfactory. 


76  KING  JOHN  [act  m. 

I  would  unto  thy  bosom  pour  my  thoughts : 

But,  ah,  I  will  not !  yet  I  love  thee  well ; 

And,  by  my  troth,  I  think  thou  lovest  me  well.      55 
Hub.  So  well,  that  what  you  bid  me  undertake, 

Though  that  my  death  were  adjunct  to  my  act, 

By  heaven,  I  would  do  it 
K.  John.  Do  not  I  know  thou  wouldst? 

Good  Hubert,  Hubert,  Hubert,  throw  thine  eye 

On  yon  young  boy ;  I  '11  tell  thee  what,  my  friend,  60 

He  is  a  very  serpent  in  my  way ; 

And  wheresoe'er  this  foot  of  mine  doth  tread, 

He  lies  before  me :  dost  thou  understand  me  ? 

Thou  art  his  keeper. 
Hub.  And  I  '11  keep  him  so, 

That  he  shall  not  offend  your  majesty. 
K.  John.  Death.      65 

Hub.  My  Lord? 
K.  John.  A  grave. 

Hub.  He  shall  not  live. 

K.  John.  Enough. 

I  could  be  merry  now.     Hubert,  I  love  thee; 

Well,  I  '11  not  say  what  I  intend  for  thee : 

Remember.     Madam,  fare  you  well: 

I  '11  send  those  powers  o'er  to  your  majesty.  70 

Eli.  My  blessing  go  with  thee! 
K.  John.  For  England,  cousin,  go : 

Hubert  shall  be  your  man,  attend  on  you 

With  all  true  duty.     On  toward  Calais,  ho! 

{Exeunt. 

66.  My  lord?]  Rowe;  My  lord.  Ff.  72.  attend]  Ff  1,  2;   to  attend 

Ff  3,  4  ;  f  attend  Pope. 


sc.  iv]  KING  JOHN  77 


SCENE  IV. —  The  same.     The  French  Kings  tent. 

Enter   KING   PHILIP,    LEWIS,    PANDULPH,    and 
Attendants . 

K.  Phi.  So,  by  a  roaring  tempest  on  the  flood, 
A  whole  armado  of  convicted  sail 
Is  scattered  and  disjoin'd  from  fellowship. 

Pand.  Courage  and  comfort !  all  shall  yet  go  well. 

K.  Phi.  What  can  go  well,  when  we  have  run  so  ill?     5 
Are  we  not  beaten  ?     Is  not  Angiers  lost  ? 
Arthur  ta'en  prisoner  ?  divers  dear  friends  slain  ? 
And  bloody  England  into  England  gone, 
O'erbearing  interruption,  spite  of  France? 

Lew.  What  he  hath  won,  that  hath  he  fortified:  10 

So  hot  a  speed  with  such  advice  disposed, 
Such  temperate  order  in  so  fierce  a  cause, 
Doth  want  example:  who  hath  read  or  heard 
Of  any  kindred  action  like  to  this  ? 

K.  Phi.  Well  could  I  bear  that  England  had  this  praise     1 5 
So  we  could  find  some  pattern  of  our  shame. 

Pandulph]  Pandulpho  F  I  ;  Pandupho  Ff  2,  3,  4.  14.  kindred  action] 

hyphened  in  Ff. 

2.     armado]    From    the    Spanish  scattered   by  a  storm — and  disposes 

armada,  a  fleet  of  armed  ships.  of  the  various  suggested  emendations. 

2.    convicted]    Mr.     Wright    takes  Mr.  Wright  sees  in  the  phrase  a  re- 

this  to  mean  "  beaten,  discomfited,"  ference  to  the  defeat  of  the  Spanish 

for  which  Malone  gives  the  authority  Armada.     Delius  reads  "  connected." 

of  Florio's  Worlde  of  Words.     The  12.  cause]  Theobald  made  a  tempt- 

New     Eng.     Diet,     quotes    Lloid's  ing     suggestion     of    course,    which 

Pilgrimage    of   Princes    (1607),   ii.  :  Hanmer  has  printed. 

"(Hippolita)      being     convicted      by  16.  So   we   could  .  .  .  our  shame] 

Theseus  .  .  .  was  married  to  him."  If  we   could  find   some   example  of 

This    meaning     gives    quite     good  others  put  to  such  shame  as  we  have 

sense — A  discomfited  fleet  has  been  been. 


78  KING  JOHN  [act  .„. 

Enter  CONSTANCE. 

Look,  who  comes  here !  a  grave  unto  a  soul ; 

Holding  the  eternal  spirit,  against  her  will, 

In  the  vile  prison  of  afflicted  breath. 

I  prithee,  lady,  go  away  with  me.  20 

Const.  Lo,  now!  now  see  the  issue  of  your  peace. 

K.  Phi.  Patience,  good    lady !   comfort,  gentle  Constance ! 

Const.  No,  I  defy  all  counsel,  all  redress, 

But  that  which  ends  all  counsel,  true  redress, 
Death,  death;  O  amiable  lovely  death!  25 

Thou  odoriferous  stench !  sound  rottenness ! 
Arise  forth  from  the  couch  of  lasting  night, 
Thou  hate  and  terror  to  prosperity, 
And  I  will  kiss  thy  detestable  bones 
And  put  my  eyeballs  in  thy  vaulty  brows  30 

And  ring  these  fingers  with  thy  household  worms 
And  stop  this  gap  of  breath  with  fulsome  dust 
And  be  a  carrion  monster  like  thyself: 

24,  25.  redress,  Death,  death  ;]  Theobald  ;  redresse  :  Death,  death,  Ff ;  re- 
dress, Death ;  death,  Pope. 

19.  the  vile  prison    .    .    .    breath]  26.   Thoti    .    .    .    rottenness  !]  The 

The  body  is  often  looked  upon  as  a  man  who  could  pen  certain  passages 

vile   prison    for    the   purer   spirit   or  in  the  Dunciad  rejected  this  line  1 

breath  (anima)  which  is  afflicted  by  27.    forth   from]     The     inversion 

being  kept  prisoner  within  the  body,  "from  forth"  of   the    Collier    MS. 

One    is    reminded    of     Browning's  betters  the  line  in  rhythm  and  gives 

Karshish  : —  a  more  natural  order  of  words  than 

"  This  man's  flesh  he  hath  admir-  •'  Arise  forth." 

ably  made,  28.    Thou   hate    .    .    .    prosperity] 

Blown   like   a    bubble,   kneaded  Thou  who  art  hated  and  feared  by  the 

like  a  paste,  prosperous. 
To  coop  up  and  keep  down  on  29  36.  And  I  will  kiss,  etc.]   Con- 
earth  a  space  stance  compares  death  to  a  skeleton 
That   puff  of   vapour   from   his  and  goes  into  grim  detail. 

mouth,  man's  soul."  32.  fulsome]  nauseous.     See   Cot- 

23.    defy]  renounce.      Compare   1  grave,     "  Nideitr :     the    stench,    or 

Henry  IV.  I.  iii.  228:    "All  studies  fulsom   savour   of  things   broiled   or 

here  I  solemnly  defy."  burnt." 


sc.  iv]  KING  JOHN  79 

Come,  grin  on  me,  and  I  will  think  thou  smilest, 
And  buss  thee  as  thy  wife.     Misery's  love,  35 

O,  come  to  me! 

K.  Phi.  O  fair  affliction,  peace ! 

Const.  No,  no,  I  will  not,  having  breath  to  cry: 

O,  that  my  tongue  were  in  the  thunder's  mouth! 
Then  with  a  passion  would  I  shake  the  world; 
And  rouse  from  sleep  that  fell  anatomy  40 

Which  cannot  hear  a  lady's  feeble  voice, 
Which  scorns  a  modern  invocation. 

Pand.  Lady,  you  utter  madness,  and  not  sorrow. 

Const.  Thou  art  not  holy  to  belie  me  so; 

I  am  not  mad  :  this  hair  I  tear  is  mine ;  45 

My  name  is  Constance ;  I  was  Geffrey's  wife ; 

Young  Arthur  is  my  son,  and  he  is  lost : 

I  am  not  mad :  I  would  to  heaven  I  were ! 

For  then,  'tis  like  I  should  forget  myself: 

O,  if  I  could,  what  grief  should  I  forget !  50 

39.  would  r\  Fi;  J  would  Ff  2,  3,  4.        44.  not  holy]  F  4  ;  holy  Ff  1,  2,  3. 

35.  buss]  to  kiss  wantonly.  The  42.  modern]  trite,  commonplace, 
older  form  was  "  bass."  The  same  Compare  All  's  Well  that  Ends 
distinction  holds  between  "kissing"  Well,  IX.  iii.  2:  "To  make  modern 
and  "  bussing "  as  between  modern  and  familiar  things  supernatural 
French  embraser  and  baiser.  and  causeless  "  ;   also  As   You  Like 

36.  affliction]  afflicted  one.  The  It,  11.  vii.  156 :  "  Full  of  wise 
abstract  for  concrete.  saws  and  modern  instances."  Rowe, 

40.  anatomy]  skeleton.  So  Comedy  Knight  and  Collier  MS.  emend  need- 
0/  Errors,  v.  i.  237-238 : —  lessly.      See    Prof.    Case's    note   in 

"  a  hungry  lean-faced  villain,  Antony  and  Cleopatra  (Arden  Shake- 

A  mere  anatomy."  speare). 

Compare    Cotgrave,    "  Scelete  :    the  44.  not  holy]  This  emendation  by 

whole    coagmentation    of    bones    in  the  fourth    Folio  is  perhaps  not  so 

their  natural  position  ;    also  an  ana-  good  as  the  "  unholy  "  conjectured  by 

tomy   made   thereof"  ;  and  Reginald  Steevens,  and  adopted  by  Delius  and 

Scot's  Discoverie  of  Witchcraft,  1584  Staunton  ;  but  it  has  the  Folio  autho- 

(Nicholson,   p.   36):     "as  bare  and  rity. 
naked  as  an  anatomie." 


80  KING  JOHN  [act  m. 

Preach  some  philosophy  to  make  me  mad, 

And  thou  shalt  be  canonized,  cardinal ; 

For,  being  not  mad  but  sensible  of  grief, 

My  reasonable  part  produces  reason 

How  I  may  be  deliver'd  of  these  woes,  55 

And  teaches  me  to  kill  or  hang  myself: 

If  I  were  mad,  I  should  forget  my  son, 

Or  madly  think  a  babe  of  clouts  were  he: 

I  am  not  mad ;  too  well,  too  well  I  feel 

The  different  plague  of  each  calamity.  60 

K.  Phi.  Bind  up  those  tresses.     O,  what  love  I  note 
In  the  fair  multitude  of  those  her  hairs! 
Where  but  by  chance  a  silver  drop  hath  fallen, 
Even  to  that  drop  ten  thousand  wiry  friends 
Do  glue  themselves  in  sociable  grief,  65 

Like  true,  inseparable,  faithful  loves, 
Sticking  together  in  calamity. 

Const.  To  England,  if  you  will. 

K.  Phi.  Bind  up  your  hairs. 

Const.  Yes,  that  I  will ;  and  wherefore  will  I  do  it  ? 

I  tore  them  from  their  bonds  and  cried  aloud,         70 
"O  that  these  hands  could  so  redeem  my  son, 
As  they  have  given  these  hairs  their  liberty !  " 
But  now  I  envy  at  their  liberty, 
And  will  again  commit  them  to  their  bonds, 
Because  my  poor  child  is  a  prisoner.  75 

52.  canonized]  pronounced  canon-  Wright  suggests  that  lines  21-67  may 

iz'd.     See  in.  i.  177  supra.  have    been    added    to    the    original 

58.  babe  0/ clouts]  rag  doll.  draft    of  the    play.     His    alternative 

64.  friends]  Rowe's  reading.     The  suggestion  that  Constance  is  sinking 

Folios  have  "fiends  " — a  queer  error,  into  apathy  after  her  first  outburst  is 

68.  To  England]  Constance's  reply  not  convincing,  because,  in  the  next 

to   Philip's  invitation,  line   20.     Mr.  line,  she  resumes  her  lamentations. 


sc.  iv]  KING  JOHN  81 

And,  father  cardinal;  I  have  heard  you  say- 
That  we  shall  see  and  know  our  friends  in  heaven : 
If  that  be  true,  I  shall  see  my  boy  again ; 
For  since  the  birth  of  Cain,  the  first  male  child, 
To  him  that  did  but  yesterday  suspire,  80 

There  was  not  such  a  gracious  creature  born. 
But  now  will  canker  sorrow  eat  my  bud 
And  chase  the  native  beauty  from  his  cheek 
And  he  will  look  as  hollow  as  a  ghost, 
-  As  dim  and  meagre  as  an  ague's  fit,  85 

And  so  he  '11  die ;  and,  rising  so  again, 
When  I  shall  meet  him  in  the  court  of  heaven 
I  shall  not  know  him :  therefore  never,  never 
Must  I  behold  my  pretty  Arthur  more. 

Pand.  You  hold  too  heinous  a  respect  of  grief.  90 

Const.  He  talks  to  me  that  never  had  a  son. 

K.  Phi.  You  are  as  fond  of  grief  as  of  your  child. 

Const.  Grief  fills  the  room  up  of  my  absent  child, 
Lies  in  his  bed,  walks  up  and  down  with  me, 
Puts  on  his  pretty  looks,  repeats  his  words,  95 

Remembers  me  of  all  his  gracious  parts, 
Stuffs  out  his  vacant  garments  with  his  form ; 

78.  1/  that  .  .  .  boy   again]   The  comfort  from  the  thought  that  she 

slight  irregularity  of  this  line  has  led  will  see  and  know  her  son  in  heaven, 

to  its  being  suspected,  and  its  con-  But  then  comes  the  thought  "  sorrow 

tradiction  of  lines  88,  89  appears  to  will  so  alter  him  that  I  may  meet  him  in 

confirm   the   suspicion.     Pope  omits  the  court  of  heaven  and  not  know  him, 

"  true,"  Vaughan  omits  "  see,"  Fleay,  therefore  I  shall  never  see  him  more." 

following  Sidney  Walker's  conjecture,  90.    You   hold  .  .  .  of  grief]   You 

prints  "  shall,"  while  Seymour   con-  look  upon  your  grief  too  hatefully, 

jectures    "  I  '11."      All    these   merely  92.     You   are   as  fond  .  .  .  child] 

set  the  rhythm  right.     Kinnear  con-  One  may  suspect  a  play  upon  "fond  " 

jectures  "  If  that  be  true,  then  never  here.     You  are  as  fond  of  (or  you  as 

shall  I  see  my  boy  again."     But  this  foolish   owing   to)   grief  as  you  are 

is  not  warranted  by  the  real  meaning  fond  of  your   child.     Constance,  of 

of  the  speech.     Constance  first  takes  course,  only  sees  one  meaning. 
6 


M  KING  JOHN  [act  i... 

Then  have  I  reason  to  be  fond  of  grief. 

Fare  you  well:  had  you  such  a  loss  as  I, 

I  could  give  better  comfort  than  you  do.  ioo 

I  will  not  keep  this  form  upon  my  head, 

When  there  is  such  disorder  in  my  wit. 

O  Lord !  my  boy,  my  Arthur,  my  fair  son ! 

My  life,  my  joy,  my  food,  my  all  the  world  ! 

My  widow-comfort,  and  my  sorrows'  cure !  [Exit.  105 

K.  Phi.  I  fear  some  outrage,  and  I  '11  follow  her.     [Exit. 

Lew.  There 's  nothing  in  this  world  can  make  me  joy : 
Life  is  as  tedious  as  a  twice-told  tale 
Vexing  the  dull  ear  of  a  drowsy  man; 
And  bitter  shame  hath  spoil'd  the  sweet  world's  taste, 
That  it  yields  nought  but  shame  and  bitterness,    in 

Pand.  Before  the  curing  of  a  strong  disease, 
Even  in  the  instant  of  repair  and  health, 
The  fit  is  strongest ;   evils  that  take  leave, 
On  their  departure  most  of  all  show  evil :  115 

What  have  you  lost  by  losing  of  this  day? 

Lew .  All  days  of  glory,  joy  and  happiness. 

Pand.  If  you  had  won  it,  certainly  you  had. 

101.   Most  editors   print   a   stage-  no.  world's]  Pope's  almost  certain 

direction    here.      "Tearing   off  her  emendation  of  the  "words"  of  the 

Head-cloaths,"  Pope ;    "  Looses  her  Folios.     Delius  suggests  a  meaning 

hair   again,"    Dent   MS.;    "Tearing  by  allowing  "  word's  "  to  refer  to  life, 

her  hair  "  Collier,  ed.  2  (Collier  MS.),  and     reading     "that    sweet    word's 

It   is   evident    that   Constance   does  taste."     Jackson  conjectures  "  word, 

again  fall  to  tearing  her  hair,  and  we  state." 

must  understand  "form"  as  merely  in.     shame]    The    repetition     of 

order  or  arrangement  in  opposition  "  shame  "  has  led  Sidney  Walker  to 

to  "disorder"  in  the  next  line  with-  conjecture    "gall"     in     the    second 

out  going  into  the  concrete  "  Head-  place,     while     Cartwright    suggests 

cloaths  "  of  Pope.  "grief."     There  is  no  pressing  need 

107.  joy]  rejoice.     So   Much  Ado  for  this  painting  of  the  lily. 

About  Nothing,  i.  i.  28 :  "  How  much  118.   7/  you     had    won    it,    etc.] 

better  it  is  to  weep  at  joy  than  to  joy  Pandulph    rises    through     sophistry 

at  weeping  1"  into  prophecy. 


sc. 


iv]  KING  JOHN  83 


No,  no ;  when  fortune  means  to  men  most  good, 
She  looks  upon  them  with  a  threatening  eye.         120 
Tis    strange    to   think    how    much    King    John    hath 

lost 
In  this  which  he  accounts  so  clearly  won  : 
Are  not  you  grieved  that  Arthur  is  his  prisoner? 

Lew.  As  heartily  as  he  is  glad  he  hath  him. 

Pand.  Your  mind  is  all  as  youthful  as  your  blood.       125 
Now  hear  me  speak  with  a  prophetic  spirit; 
For  even  the  breath  of  what  I  mean  to  speak 
Shall  blow  each  dust,  each  straw,  each  little  rub, 
Out  of  the  path  which  shall  directly  lead 
Thy  foot  to  England's  throne ;  and  therefore  mark. 
John  hath  seized  Arthur;  and  it  cannot  be  131 

That,  whiles  warm  life  plays  in  that  infant's  veins, 
The  misplaced  John  should  entertain  an  hour, 
One  minute,  nay,  one  quiet  breath  of  rest. 
A  sceptre  snatch'd  with  an  unruly  hand  135 

Must  be  as  boisterously  maintain'd  as  gain'd  ; 
And  he  that  stands  upon  a  slippery  place 
Makes  nice  of  no  vile  hold  to  stay  him  up : 
That    John    may    stand,    then    Arthur    needs    must 

fall; 
So  be  it,  for  it  cannot  be  but  so.  140 

Lew.  But  what  shall  I  gain  by  young  Arthur's  fall? 

132.  whiles]  whilst  Rowe.         139.  stand,  then]  stand  then,  Hanmer. 

12S.  rub]  "Any  obstruction  to  the  green  is  supposed  to  be  as  absolutely 

bowl's  course  from  inequalities  of  the  true  as  a  billiard-table.     Bowls  was 

ground    or    natural    obstacles;    also  a  favourite   Elizabethan   game,   and 

used  of  a  running  bowl  sideling  from  from    Shakespeare's    frequent    refer- 

another"  (Encyc.   of  Sport,   i.    129).  ences  to  it  we  may  guess  that  it  was 

"Each  dust,  each   straw,"  is  hardly  a  favourite  game  of  his. 
any  exaggeration,  for  a  good  bowling- 


84  KING  JOHN  [act  m. 

Pand.  You,  in  the  right  of  Lady  Blanch  your  wife, 
May  then  make  all  the  claim  that  Arthur  did. 

Lew.  And  lose  it,  life  and  all,  as  Arthur  did. 

Pand.  How  green  you  are  and  fresh  in  this  old  world  !     145 
John  lays  you  plots ;  the  times  conspire  with  you ; 
For  he  that  steeps  his  safety  in  true  blood 
Shall  find  but  bloody  safety  and  untrue. 
This  act  so  evilly  born  shall  cool  the  hearts 
Of  all  his  people  and  freeze  up  their  zeal,  150 

That  none  so  small  advantage  shall  step  forth 
To  check  his  reign,  but  they  will  cherish  it ; 
No  natural  exhalation  in  the  sky, 
No  scope  of  nature,  no  distemper'd  day, 
No  common  wind,  no  customed  event,  155 

But  they  will  pluck  away  his  natural  cause 
And  call  them  meteors,  prodigies  and  signs, 
Abortives,  presages  and  tongues  of  heaven, 
Plainly  denouncing  vengeance  upon  John. 

152.  reign]  F  4;  reigne  Ff  1,  2,  3  ;  rein  Capell  conj. 

146.  John  lays  you  plots]  John  lays  within  the  range  of  natural  pheno- 

plots  by  which  you  and  not  he  will  mena.       Pope    reads    "scape"     as 

benefit.     Malone  conjectures  "your  equivalent   to   "freak,"    but    this   is 

plots,"   where    the    meaning    would  unsupported  by  any  example  of  the 

necessarily  be  the  same ;   hence  we  same  use  in  Shakespeare, 

gain  nothing  by  the  alteration.  157.  meteors]   supernatural   pheno- 

151,   152.  none  so  small  .  .  .  but]  mena.     See  Coles, "  Meteors  :  appari- 

no    circumstance,    however    trifling,  tions  on  high,  or  bodies  imperfectly 

that    may   give    them    any   weapon  mixt  of  vapours  drawn  up  in  the  air, 

against  him  will  they  omit  to  make  as  comets,  clouds,  wind,  rain,  etc." 

the  most  of.  Evidently  in  the  sixteenth  and  seven- 

153.  exhalation]  meteor.  So  Julius  teenth  centuries  "  meteors  "  and  "  ex- 
Casar,  11.  i.  44:  "The  exhalations  halations"  were  terms  loosely  used 
whizzing  in  the  air  "  ;  and  1  Henry  and  imperfectly  understood. 

IV.  11.  iv.  352  :  "  My  lord,  do  you  see        158.    Abortives]    We    may    either 

these  meteors  ?     Do  you  behold  these  take    this    to    mean     abortions     of 

exhalations  ?"     See   "meteor,"   line  nature,   or  dreadful  happenings  that 

157  infra.  would  bring  about  abortion  in  those 

154.  scope    of    nature]    anything  witnessing  them. 


sc.  iv]  KING  JOHN  85 

Lew.  May  be  he  will  not  touch  young  Arthur's  life,     160 
But  hold  himself  safe  in  his  prisonment. 

Pand.  O,  sir,  when  he  shall  hear  of  your  approach, 
If  that  young  Arthur  be  not  gone  already, 
Even  at  that  news  he  dies;  and  then  the  hearts 
Of  all  his  people  shall  revolt  from  him,  165 

And  kiss  the  lips  of  unacquainted  change, 
And  pick  strong  matter  of  revolt  and  wrath 
Out  of  the  bloody  fingers'  ends  of  John. 
Methinks  I  see  this  hurly  all  on  foot: 
And,  O,  what  better  matter  breeds  for  you  170 

Than  I  have  named !     The  bastard  Faulconbridge 
Is  now  in  England,  ransacking  the  church, 
Offending  charity :  if  but  a  dozen  French 
Were  there  in  arms,  they  would  be  as  a  call 
To  train  ten  thousand  English  to  their  side,  175 

Or  as  a  little  snow,  tumbled  about, 
Anon  becomes  a  mountain.     O  noble  Dauphin, 
Go  with  me  to  the  king:  'tis  wonderful 

164.  that]  this  F  4. 

166-168.  And  kiss   the    lips    .   .    .  translate   the  Latin   tumultus.     The 

John]  will  greet  change  as  a  welcome  commoner     form    is    "hurly-burly," 

stranger,    and    find   good   cause    for  which  is  still  in  use. 

revolt  and  wrath  in  those  crimes  in  173.  charity]  in  the  wider  sense  of 

which   John  has  dabbled.     Compare  "  good-will,"     as     in      the     phrase 

this      unpleasant      metaphor      with  "  Faith,  Hope,  and  Charity." 

Gammer  Gurton's  Needle  (1563),  ed.  174.  a  call]  a  decoy  bird.    Compare 

Gayley,  line  153  : —  Lodge's     Alarum     against     Usury  : 

"  I  picke   not    this    geare,   hearst  "  It  is  enough  for  silly  birds  to  be  led 

thou,  out  of  my  fingers  endes  ;  by  the  call  of  the  fowler." 

But  he    that  hard   (sic)  it    told  175.    train]  to  draw,  attract.     Fr. 

me."  trainer.      If  a  dozen    French   were 

169.  hurly]  tumult.     Compare  The  there   they  would  act  as  a  decoy  to 

Taming  of   the   Shrew,   iv.    i.  206 :  entice  ten  thousand  English  to  their 

"amid    this    hurly."     In    Holland's  side. 
Livy    (1600),    "  hurly "   is    used    to 


86  KING  JOHN  [act  hi. 

What  may  be  wrought  out  of  their  discontent, 
Now  that  their  souls  are  topful  of  offence.  180 

For  England  go:  I  will  whet  on  the  king. 
Lew.  Strong  reasons  make  strong  actions :  let  us  go : 

If  you  say  ay,  the  king  will  not  say  no.         [Exeunt. 

182.  make]  Capell ;  makes  Ff.         strong]  Ff  2,  3,  4  ;  strange  F  1. 

180.  topful]  brimful.  Compare  Macbeth,  1.  v.  44  :  "  topfull  of  direst  cruelty." 


ACT  IV 

SCENE  I. — A  room  in  a  castle. 

Enter  HUBERT  and  Executioners. 

Hub.  Heat  me  these  irons  hot;  and  look  thou  stand 
Within  the  arras:  when  I  strike  my  foot 
Upon  the  bosom  of  the  ground,  rush  forth, 
And  bind  the  boy  which  you  shall  find  with  me 
Fast  to  the  chair :  be  heedful :  hence,  and  watch.       5 

First  Exec.  I  hope  your  warrant  will  bear  out  the  deed. 

Hub.  Uncleanly  scruples !  fear  not  you  :  look  to 't. 

[Exeunt  Executioners. 
Young  lad,  come  forth;  I  have  to  say  with  you. 

Enter  ARTHUR. 
Arth.  Good  morrow,  Hubert. 
Hub.  Good  morrow,  little  prince. 

1.  thou]  you  Rowe. 

2.  arras]  tapestry,  so  called  from  scruples  frighten  you,"  giving  "fear" 
its  having  been  first  manufactured  at  the  same  meaning  as  it  bears  in  11.  i. 
Arras.  It  was  evidently  hung  at  some  383.  This  is  rather  forcing  the  con- 
distance  from  the  walls,  for  we  often  struction,  and  Rowe's  reading  is  much 
hear  of  people  hiding  behind  it,  as  to  be  preferred,  especially  as  the  fourth 
did  Polonius  in  Hamlet.  Folio  supports  it. 

7.  Uncleanly  .  .  .  you]  The  first  8.  Young  lad]  Arthur  is  not  to  be 
three  Folios  read"  Uncleanly  scruples  classed  with  the  children  of  Shake- 
fear  not  you  " ;  the  fourth  Folio  inserts  speare — young  Macduff,  little  Ed- 
a  comma  after  "  scruples."  The  read-  mund  of  England,  little  Coriolanus. 
ing  in  the  text  is  that  of  Rowe.  Mr.  Shakespeare  deliberately  calls  him  a 
Moore-Smith,  following  Schmidt  and  lad,  and  he  is  more  like  the  sons  of 
the  first  three  Folios,  would  take  the  Cymbeline. 
meaning    as   "  Let    no   unbecoming 

87 


88  KING  JOHN  [act  iv. 

Arth,  As  little  prince,  having  so  great  a  title  10 

To  be  more  prince,  as  may  be.     You  are  sad. 

Hub.  Indeed,  I  have  been  merrier. 

Arth.  Mercy  on  me  ! 

Methinks  no  body  should  be  sad  but  I : 
Yet,   I  remember,  when  I  was  in  France, 
Young  gentlemen  would  be  as  sad  as  night,  15 

Only  for  wantonness.     By  my  Christendom, 
So  I  were  out  of  prison  and  kept  sheep, 
I  should  be  as  merry  as  the  day  is  long ; 
And  so  I  would  be  here,  but  that  I  doubt 
My  uncle  practises  more  harm  to  me:  20 

He  is  afraid  of  me  and  I  of  him : 
Is  it  my  fault  that  I  was  Geffrey's  son? 
No,  indeed,  is 't  not ;  and  I  would  to  heaven 
I  were  your  son,  so  you  would  love  me,  Hubert. 

Hub.    [Aside.]    If    I    talk    to    him,    with    his    innocent 
prate  25 

He  will  awake  my  mercy  which  lies  dead : 
Therefore  I  will  be  sudden  and  dispatch. 

Arth.  Are  you  sick,  Hubert?  you  look  pale  to-day: 
In  sooth,  I  would  you  were  a  little  sick, 

10.  As  little  prince,  etc.]  consider-  19.  doubt]  fear, 

ing  my  great  title,  heir  to  the  crown  20.  practises]  plots.    Compare  Cot- 

of  England,  I  am  at  present  as  little  grave,  "  manigance :  secret  practising 

a  prince  as  may  be.  or  packing  in  a  matter." 

16.  wantonness]  out  of  mere  affecta-  23.  is't]  The   Folios  are   here  at 

tion.     It   was  a  fashion  of  the  time  cross  purposes.     Folios  1  and  4  read 

to  affect   melancholy.      See  Jaques'  "is't,"  2  and  3  "it's."     Pope  reads 

description   of  the  various   kinds  of  "  it  is."     Mr.  Moore-Smith  says  that 

melancholy  in  As  You  Like  It,  iv.  i.  10.  there  ought  to   be   no   comma  after 

16.  Christendom]  christening,  bap-  "  indeed,"   in   order    to  explain   the 

tism,  Christianity — therefore  "  by  my  inversion  "  is' t  "  on  the  model  of  the 

Christendom"   means   "by   the    fact  German  G cwiss  ist  es  so. 
that  I  am  a  Christian." 


sc.  i.]  KING  JOHN  89 

That  I  might  sit  all  night  and  watch  with  you  :     30 
I  warrant  I  love  you  more  than  you  do  me. 

Hub.  [Aside.]  His  words  do  take  possession  of  my  bosom. 
Read  here,  young  Arthur.  [Showing  a  paper. 

[Aside.]  How  now,  foolish  rheum  ! 
Turning  dispiteous  torture  out  of  door ! 
I  must  be  brief,  lest  resolution  drop  35 

Out  at  mine  eyes  in  tender  womanish  tears. 
Can  you  not  read  it  ?  is  it  not  fair  writ  ? 

Arth.  Too  fairly,  Hubert,  for  so  foul  effect: 

Must  you  with  hot  irons  burn  out  both  mine  eyes  ? 

Hub.  Young  boy,  I  must. 

Arth.  And  will  you? 

Hub.  And  I  will.     40 

Arth.    Have   you   the   heart?     When    your  head   did   but 
ache, 
I  knit  my  handkercher  about  your  brows, 
The  best  I  had,  a  princess  wrought  it  me, 
And  I  did  never  ask  it  you  again ; 
And  with  my  hand  at  midnight  held  your  head,     45 
And  like  the  watchful  minutes  to  the  hour, 
Still  and  anon  cheer'd  up  the  heavy  time, 

34.  dispiteous]  dispitious  Ff.  35.  lest]  F  4 ;  least  Ff  i,  2,  3.  46. 

minutes  to]  Rowe;  minutes,  to  Ff. 

34.  dispiteous]  merciless.  rected  into"  handkerchief "  by  Rowe. 

38.  Too  fairly  .  .  .  foul  effect]  too  The  form   "handkercher"   still    sur- 

well  written,  Hubert,  to  convey  such  vives  in  vulgar  speech, 

a  horrible  meaning.    Malone  suggests  46.  watchful  minutes  to  the  hour] 

"  a  fact"  for  "effect."     But  compare  i.e.  minutes  which  watch  the  hour. 

Hamlet,  m.  iv.  129: —  A  common  Elizabethan  inversion. 

"  Do  not  look  upon  me ;  47.  Still    and    anon]    continually, 

Lest  with  this  piteous  action  you  ever  and  again.  For  this  use  of  "  still " 

convert  see  note  on  11.  i.  522  supra.     Compare 

My  stern  effects"  also  Dekker,    King's    Entertainment 

42.    handkercher]    needlessly    cor-  (1604),   ed.  Pearson,    1318:     "Envy 


90  KING  JOHN  [act  iv. 

Saying,   "What   lack    you?"   and    "Where   lies   your 

grief?" 
Or  "  What  good  love  may  I  perform  for  you  ?  " 
Many  a  poor  man's  son  would  have  lien  still  50 

And  ne'er  have  spoke  a  loving  word  to  you; 
But  you  at  your  sick  service  had  a  prince. 
Nay,  you  may  think  my  love  was  crafty  love, 
And  call  it  cunning:  do,  an  if  you  will: 
If  heaven  be  pleased  that  you  must  use  me  ill,       55 
Why  then    you  must.     Will  you  put  out    mine  eyes? 
These  eyes  that  never  did  nor  never  shall 
So  much  as  frown  on  you. 

Hub.  I  have  sworn  to  do  it; 

And  with  hot  irons  must  I  burn  them  out. 

Arth.  Ah,  none  but  in  this  iron  age  would  do  it!  60 

The  iron  of  itself,  though  heat  red-hot, 
Approaching  near  these  eyes,  would  drink  my  tears 
And  quench  his  fiery  indignation 
Even  in  the  matter  of  mine  innocence ; 

63.  his]  Capell ;  this  Ff. 

.  .  .  stood  .  .  .  neere  unto  Vertue,  "lien"  ("I  heard  of  an  Egyptian 
but  making  a  shew  of  fearfulnesse  to  That  had  nine  hours  lien  dead  "). 
approach  her  and  the  light:  yet  still  52.  at  your  sick  service]  An  abbre- 
and  anon  casting  her  eyes  sometimes  viation  for  "  at  your  service  when 
to  the  one  side  beneath."  Perhaps  you  were  sick."  Compare  "true 
this  phrase  has  some  connection  with  defence  "  in  iv.  iii.  84  infra.  Perhaps 
the  curious  '* still-an-end"  of  Two  we  ought  to  read  '•  sick-service " 
Gentlemen  of  Verona,  iv.  iv.  67.  (service  to  a  sick  man  in  his  bed- 
Schmidt  calls  this  latter  a  corruption  chamber). 

of  "  still  and  anon."  57.  nor]  Pope  reads  "  and,"  for,  by 

50.  lien]  A  form  of  the  participle  his   time,    the   double   negative   had 

of  "  lie,"  which  survived  right  into  become  incorrect, 

the  nineteenth  century  (see  New  Eng.  61.     heat]    heated.       Shakespeare 

Diet.) ;  now  superseded  by  the  form  often  used  abbreviated  past  participles 

"  lain."     The  first  three  Folios  have  in."  t  "  in  this  way. 

"  lyen,"     the    fourth     "  lain."        In  64.  the   matter  of  mine  innocence] 

Pericles,   hi.  ii.   85,   we   again   read  Let   us  hope  that  Shakespeare  here 


sc.  i]  KING  JOHN  91 

Nay,  after  that,  consume  away  in  rust,  65 

But  for  containing  fire  to  harm  mine  eye. 
Are  you  more  stubborn-hard  than  hammer'd  iron  ? 
An  if  an  angel  should  have  come  to  me 
And  told  me  Hubert  should  put  out  mine  eyes, 
I    would    not    have    believed    him, — no    tongue    but 
Hubert's.  70 

Hub.  Come  forth.  [Stamps. 

Re-enter  Executioners,  with  a  cord,  irons,  etc. 

Do  as  I  bid  you  do. 
Arth.  O,  save  me,  Hubert,  save  me!  my  eyes  are  out 

Even  with  the  fierce  looks  of  these  bloody  men. 
Hub.  Give  me  the  iron,  I  say,  and  bind  him  here.        75 
Arth.  Alas,  what  need  you  be  so  boisterous-rough? 

I  will  not  struggle,  I  will  stand  stone-still. 

For  heaven  sake,  Hubert,  let  me  not  be  bound ! 

Nay,  hear  me,  Hubert,  drive  these  men  away, 

And  I  will  sit  as  quiet  as  a  lamb;  80 

67.  stubborn-hard]   first   hyphened   by    Theobald   (1740)    (ed.   2).         71. 
Stamps]  omitted  Ff.        76.  boisterous -rough]  hyphened  by  Theobald. 

meant    "  the    substance    which    be-  attempt   to  regularise  this  line  is  to 

tokens  my  innocence  (the  water  of  my  spoil  it. 

tears) "   (Moore-Smith),  rather  than  77.        stone-still]      Common       in 

the     "secretion,"     "exudation,"    of  Elizabethan  English,  and  found  more 

Schmidt.     But  compare  iv.  ii.  79-81  than   once    in    Chaucer.       Compare 

supra.  Florio's   Montaigne   (ed.   Waller,   p. 

70.    I   would  .  .  .  Hubert's]   This  12):  "She  stood  afraid,  stonestill  at 

line,  with  the  exception  of  the  sub-  the    strange   sight "  ;    and    Lucrece, 

stitution  of  a  comma  and  a  dash  for  1730  :  "  Stone  still,  astonished  with 

the  colon  after  "him  "  is  the  reading  this  deadly  deed." 

of  the    Folios,   and   gives  excellent  78.  heaven  sake]  Another  instance 

sense  if  we  will  only  be  good  enough  of  the  omission  of  the  mark  of  the 

to    allow    Shakespeare     to    use    an  possessive      when      clashing      with 

ellipsis.     "  I  would  not  have  believed  another  sibilant.      Compare  "  Alcides 

him, — (I  will  believe)  no  tongue  but  shows,"  11.  i.  144  supra. 

Hubert's."    There  are  many emenda-  80.  quiet  as  a  lamb]   Proverbial; 

tions.  found  in  Heywood's  Pericles  (1546). 

73.    O,  save  me,  Hubert,  etc.]  To 


92  KING  JOHN  [act  «v 

I  will  not  stir,  nor  wince,  nor  speak  a  word, 

Nor  look  upon  the  iron  angerly: 

Thrust  but  these  men  away,  and  I  '11  forgive  you, 

Whatever  torment  you  do  put  me  to. 
Hub.  Go,  stand  within ;  let  me  alone  with  him.  85 

First  Exec.  I  am  best  pleased  to  be  from  such  a  deed. 

[Exeunt  Executioners. 
Arth.  Alas,  I  then  have  chid  away  my  friend ! 

He  hath  a  stern  look,  but  a  gentle  heart : 

Let  him  come  back,  that  his  compassion  may 

Give  life  to  yours. 
Hub.  Come,  boy,  prepare  yourself.     90 

Arth.  Is  there  no  remedy? 

Hub.  None,  but  to  lose  your  eyes. 

Arth.  O  heaven,  that  there  were  but  a  mote  in  yours, 

A  grain,  a  dust,  a  gnat,  a  wandering  hair, 

Any  annoyance  in  that  precious  sense! 

Then,  feeling  what  small  things  are  boisterous  there,  95 

Your  vile  intent  must  needs  seem  horrible. 
Hub.  Is  this  your  promise?  go  to,  hold  your  tongue. 

81.   wince]  The   first   Folio  reads  91.  None,  but  to  lose  your  eyes]  This 

winch,  evidently  a  form  of  "  wince."  answer   seems  to   imply  that   losing 

All  the  Quartos  and  Folios  of  Ham-  the   eyes  was  a   remedy.     We   may 

let,  except    the    1603    Quarto,   print  construe   "remedy"   as   alternative, 

in.  ii.  252  as  "  Let  the  galled  jade  and  then  we  have  to  ask  alternative 

winch."  to  what  ?     Vaughan  omits  "  to,"  and 

85.  let  me  alone  with  him]  trust  explains  "  None,  but  lose  your  eyes  " 

me  to  deal  with  him.     So  Twelfth  as  "  no   remedy  against  losing  your 

Night,  11.  iii.   145:    "For   Monsieur  eyes."     Perhaps  Hubert  is   thinking 

Malvolio,   let  me  alone  with   him."  of  John's  command  to  put  Arthur  to 

Compare  also  Twelfth  Night,  in.  iv.  death,  and   this   putting  out  of  the 

201 :  "  Let  me  alone  for  swearing"  ;  eyes  is  a  remedy  against  that, 

and  Middleton,  A  Trick,  i.  1  (Mer-  92.  mote]  So  Steevens  (1793),  after 

maid  ed.  p.   8):  "  if  his  nephew  be  Long  MS.  and  a  conjecture  of  Upton's, 

poor  indeed  he  lets  God  alone  with  The  Folios  have  moth,  and  mote  and 

him."  moth  are  the  same  words. 


sc.  i]  KING  JOHN  93 

Arth.  Hubert,  the  utterance  of  a  brace  of  tongues 
Must  needs  want  pleading  for  a  pair  of  eyes : 
Let  me  not  hold  my  tongue,  let  me  not,  Hubert ;  ioo 
Or,  Hubert,  if  you  will,  cut  out  my  tongue, 
So  I  may  keep  mine  eyes :  O,  spare  mine  eyes, 
Though  to  no  use  but  still  to  look  on  you ! 
Lo,  by  my  troth,  the  instrument  is  cold 
And  would  not  harm  me. 

Hub.  I  can  heat  it,  boy.       105 

Arth.  No,  in  good  sooth;  the  fire  is  dead  with  grief, 
Being  create  for  comfort,  to  be  used 
In  undeserved  extremes :  see  else  yourself ; 
There  is  no  malice  in  this  burning  coal ; 
The  breath  of  heaven  hath  blown  his  spirit  out      no 
And  strew'd  repentant  ashes  on  his  head. 

Hub.  But  with  my  breath  I  can  revive  it,  boy. 

Arth.  An  if  you  do,  you  will  but  make  it  blush 

And  glow  with  shame  of  youi   proceedings,  Hubert : 
Nay,  it  perchance  will  sparkle  in  your  eyes;  115 

And  like  a  dog  that  is  compell'd  to  fight, 

101.  will,  cut]  Rowe ;  will  cut  Ff. 

98,  99.  the  utterance  of  a  brace  of  our  comfort)  at  being  wrongly  used 
tongues,  etc.]  Two  tongues  would  be  for  cruel  purposes.    Create  =  created, 
unable   to  plead  sufficiently  for  two  Compare  heat  =  heated,  line  61  supra. 
eyes.     Vaughan's  inversion  of  109.  in  this  burning  coal]  Hudson, 
"  the  pleading  for  a  pair  of  eyes  upon  a  conjecture   of  Grey's,  prints 
Must  needs  want  utterance  of  a  "  burning  in  this  coal,'1  a  most  logical 
brace  of  tongues  "  and   practical  emendation,    for  there 
is  unnecessary  if  we  give  "  want  "  its  would  be  malice  in  a  burning  coal, 
proper  force  of  "fall  short  in,"  as  in  The  next   few  lines   however  rather 
iv.  iii.    138   infra  :   "  Let  hell  want  take  away  the  point  of  the  new  read- 
pains  enough  to  torture  me."  ing,  for  it  becomes  evident  that   the 
106-108.  No,  in  good  sooth    .    .    .  coal  was  still  alight  although  covered 
extremes]  no,    in   truth  ;    the   fire  is  with  ashes,  and  could  be  revived  by 
dead  with  grief  (for  it  was  created  for  blowing  upon  it. 


94 


KING  JOHN 


[act  IV. 


Snatch  at  his  master  that  doth  tarre  him  on. 
All  things  that  you  should  use  to  do  me  wrong 
Deny  their  office :  only  you  do  lack 
That  mercy  which  fierce  fire  and  iron  extends, 
Creatures  of  note  for  mercy-lacking  uses. 

Hub.  Well,  see  to  live;  I  will  not  touch  thine  eye 
For  all  the  treasure  that  thine  uncle  owes : 
Yet  am  I  sworn  and  I  did  purpose,  boy, 
With  this  same  very  iron  to  burn  them  out 

Arth.  O,  now  you  look  like  Hubert !  all  this  while 
You  were  disguised. 

Hub.  Peace;  no  more.     Adieu. 

Your  uncle  must  not  know  but  you  are  dead ; 
I  '11  fill  these  dogged  spies  with  false  reports : 
122.  eye]  Ff ;  eyes  Steevens  (1793)  (Capell  conj.). 


120 


125 


117.  Snatch]  snap,  bite. 
117.  tarre]  urge.  Mid.  Eng.  terren, 
or  terien,  to  incite.  Compare  Hamlet, 
11.  ii.  370:  "The  nation  holds  it  no 
sin  to  tarre  them  to  controversy." 
The  word  still  exists  in  dialect  (see 
Eng.  Dialect  Diet.).  Halliwell's 
Diet,  quotes  Wilbraham  (p.  112) 
under  Tarr-on  :  "  To  excite  to  anger 
or  violence ;  is  still  used  in  Cheshire. 
It  is  a  good  old  word,  used  by  Wicliffe 
in  his  Path  Waye  to  Perfect  Know- 
ledg ;  and  also  in  a  MS.  translation 
of  the  Psalms  by  Wicliffe,  penes  me  : 
'  They  have  terrid  thee  to  ire.'  " 

119-121.  only  you  do  lack  .  .  . 
mercy-lacking  uses]  you  alone  lack 
that  mercy  which  even  fire  and  iron 
exhibit, — fire  and  iron,  things  notably 
used  in  affairs  where  no  mercy  is 
required.  The  number  of  the  verb 
"  extends "  may  be  explained  by 
supposing  that  fire  and  iron  really 
conveyed  but  one  idea  to  the  mind. 

122.  see  to  live]  EIze  {Athen.  1867) 
conjectures  either  "live   to  see"  or 


"  live  and  see."  Roderick  conjectures 
"  see  and  live."  The  meaning  is 
evidently  "  live  and  keep  thy  sight "  ; 
but  I  cannot  help  thinking  that  here 
we  have  another  clue  to  the  thoughts 
of  Hubert  as  in  line  91  note,  supra. 
He  has  promised  John  that  Arthur 
shall  not  "live,"  and  continually  has 
the  death  of  Arthur  in  his  mind.  In 
putting  out  Arthur's  eyes  it  seems 
to  me  that  he  originally  intended  to 
kill  the  prince,  and  that  in  the  phrase 
"see  to  live"  we  have  an  admission 
of  that  What  would  make  Hubert 
choose  the  peculiar  punishment  of 
putting  out  Arthur's  eyes  when  he 
had  promised  the  king  to  kill  him, 
unless,  in  so  doing,  he  meant  to 
kill? 

122.  touch]  injure.  Connected 
with  Scan,  tac,  a  wound  [?]  (Skeat). 
Compare  Cymbeline,  v.  iii.  10 : 
"  Some  mortally,  some  slightly 
touched"  ;  also  the  modern  "  touchy." 

123.  owes]  See  11.  i.  109,  248  supra, 
and  iv.  ii.  99  infra. 


sc.  ii]  KING  JOHN  95 

And,  pretty  child,  sleep  doubtless  and  secure,        130 

That  Hubert,  for  the  wealth  of  all  the  world, 

Will  not  offend  thee. 
Arth.  O   heaven!   I  thank  you,  Hubert. 

Hub.  Silence ;  no  more :  go  closely  in  with  me : 

Much  danger  do  I  undergo  for  thee.  {Exeunt. 


SCENE  U.—King  John's  Palace. 

Enter  King  John,  Pembroke,  Salisbury,  and  other 

Lords. 

K.  John.  Here  once  again  we  sit,  once  again  crown 'd, 
And  look'd  upon,  I  hope,  with  cheerful  eyes. 

Pern.  This  "once  again,"  but   that  your   highness  pleased, 
Was  once  superfluous :  you  were  crown'd  before, 
And  that  high  royalty  was  ne'er  pluck 'd  off,  5 

The  faiths  of  men  ne'er  stained  with  revolt; 
Fresh  expectation  troubled  not  the  land 
With  any  long'd-for  change  or  better  state. 

Sal.  Therefore,  to  be  possess'd  with  double  pomp, 

To  guard  a  title  that  was  rich  before,  10 

To  gild  refined  gold,  to  paint  the  lily, 
To  throw  a  perfume  on  the  violet, 
To  smooth  the  ice,  or  add  another  hue 

1.  against  crown'd]  Ff  i,  2. 

130.  doubtless  and  secure]  without  jectures    "  to,"    for    we     may    take 

doubt  and  without  care.     See  supra,  "  better    state "    as  alternative  with 

11.  i.  27,  374.  "  change,"  while  "  long'd-for  "  quali- 

133.    closely]    secretly.      Compare  nes  both. 
Hamlet,  m.  1.  29 :  "  We  have  closely         10.    guard]  to  ornament,   to    put 

sent  lor  Hamlet  hither."  lacings  on.     Compare  The  Merchant 

of  Venice,  11.  ii.  164  :  "  a  livery  more 

bcene  11,  guarded  than  his  fellows  " ;  also  the 

8.    or]  Vaughan    needlessly    con-  modern  "  w&tch-guard." 


96  KING  JOHN  [act  iv. 

Unto  the  rainbow,  or  with  taper-light 

To  seek  the  beauteous  eye  of  heaven  to  garnish,    15 

Is  wasteful  and  ridiculous  excess. 

Pern.  But  that  your  royal  pleasure  must  be  done, 
This  act  is  as  an  ancient  tale  new  told, 
And  in  the  last  repeating  troublesome, 
Being  urged  at  a  time  unseasonable.  20 

Sal.  In  this  the  antique  and  well  noted  face 
Of  plain  old  form  is  much  disfigured  ; 
And,  like  a  shifted  wind  unto  a  sail, 
It  makes  the  course  of  thoughts  to  fetch  about, 
Startles  and  frights  consideration,  25 

Makes  sound  opinion  sick  and  truth  suspected, 
For  putting  on  so  new  a  fashion'd  robe. 

Pern.  When  workmen  strive  to  do  better  than  well, 
They  do  confound  their  skill  in  covetousness ; 
And  oftentimes  excusing  of  a  fault  30 

Doth  make  the  fault  the  worse  by  the  excuse, 
As  patches  set  upon  a  little  breach 
Discredit  more  in  hiding  of  the  fault 
Than  did  the  fault  before  it  was  so  patch'd. 

ai.  antique]  Pope  ;  Anticke,  Ff  i,  2  ;  Antick,  Ff  3,  4. 

18,  19.  This  act  .  .  .  troublesome]  pardonable  sin  of  splitting  the  infini- 

Exactly  the   same   simile   has  been  tive. 

used    by    the    Dauphin    in    111.    iv.  29.  They  do  confound  .  .  .  covetous- 

108.  ness]  they  spoil  everything  by  aiming 

24.  to  fetch  about]  to  take  a  cir-  at    too  much — a    case    of   vaulting 

cuitous  course.  ambition   o'erleaping  itself  and   fall- 

27.  50  new  a  fashion'd  robe]  a  robe  ing  on  the  other.  Compare  v.  vii.  20 
of  so  new  a  fashion,  "jo  new  a  infra.  There  is  no  need  to  read 
fashion'd"  being  treated  like   a   big  " curiousness "  for  u  covetousness,"  as 

compound  adjective.  Daniel     would,    as    this    does    not 

28.  to  do  better]  Staunton  would  improve  the  meaning,  while  scanning 
read  to  better  do,  much  improving  "  cov'tousness "  makes  Capell's  con- 
the  rhythm,  but  committing  the  un-  jecture  of  "  covetize  "  needless. 


sc. 


ir.]  KING  JOHN  97 


Sal.  To  this  effect,  before  you  were  new  crown'd,  35 

We  breathed  our  counsel :  but  it  pleased  your  highness 
To  overbear  it,  and  we  are  all  well  pleased, 
Since  all  and  every  part  of  what  we  would 
Doth  make  a  stand  at  what  your  highness  will. 

K.  John.  Some  reasons  of  this  double  coronation  40 

I  have  possess'd  you  with  and  think  them  strong ; 
And  more,  more  strong,  then  lesser  is  my  fear, 
I  shall  indue  you  with :  meantime  but  ask 
What  you  would  have  reform'd  that  is  not  well, 
And  well  shall  you  perceive  how  willingly  45 

I  will  both  hear  and  grant  you  your  requests. 

Pern.  Then  I,  as  one  that  am  the  tongue  of  these, 
To  sound  the  purposes  of  all  their  hearts, 
Both  for  myself  and  them,  but,  chief  of  all, 
Your  safety,  for  the  which  myself  and  them  50 

Bend  their  best  studies,  heartily  request 
The  enfranchisement  of  Arthur;  whose  restraint 

42.  then  lesser]  F  1  ;  then  lesse  Ff  2,  3,  4. 

38,  39.  Since  all  .  .  .  will]  every-  which  is  not  at  all   probable.     The 

thing  we  wish  is  subservient  to  your  true  reading  must  be  one  in   which 

wishes.  John   makes  little  of  his  fear ;  and 

42.  And  more  .  .  .  my  fear]  If  we  none  of  the  proposed  readings  (Collier 

keep  the  reading  of  the  first  Folio,  we  MS.     "  thus    lessening,"    Keightley 

must  take  "  then "  as  equivalent  to  "  than  lesser,  in,"  Fletcher  [N.  and 

"than,"   understanding  the    line  to  Q.  1889]  "  than  lesser,  is ")  make  this 

mean   "  More  reasons,  more  strong  point. 

in  proportion  as  my  fear  is  less."  50.  myself  and  them]  Thisungram- 
Although  Shakespeare  in  King  John  matical  construction  may  be  ex- 
seems  to  have  written  several  pas-  plained  (i.)  by  supposing  that 
sages  where  the  meaning  is  not  "myself"  in  suggesting  "  them- 
obvious  at  first  glance,  he  has  not  selves"  attracted  "they"  into 
set  such  another  puzzle  as  this,  "them";  (ii.)  that  the  printer's  eye 
Tyrwhitt's  conjecture  of  "  when  "  for  caught  the  "  myself  and  them  "  of  the 
"then,"  adopted  by  Steevens,  is,  as  preceding  line  and  repeated  it;  (iii.) 
Dr.  Herford  has  said,  very  plausible,  that  Shakespeare  repeated  his  own 
but  has  the  great  objection  of  making  phrase  without  being  sensible  of  the 
John  admit  that  he  was  in  great  fear,  grammatical  error. 


98  KING  JOHN  [act  if. 

Doth  move  the  murmuring  lips  of  discontent 

To  break  into  this  dangerous  argument, — 

If  what  in  rest  you  have  in  right  you  hold,  55 

Why  then  your  fears,  which  as  they  say,  attend 

The  steps  of  wrong,  should  move  you  to  mew  up 

Your  tender  kinsman,  and  to  choke  his  days 

With  barbarous  ignorance,  and  deny  his  youth 

The  rich  advantage  of  good  exercise.  60 

That  the  time's  enemies  may  not  have  this 

To  grace  occasions,  let  it  be  our  suit 

That  you  have  bid  us  ask  his  liberty; 

Which  for  our  goods  we  do  no  further  ask 

Than  whereupon  our  weal,  on  you  depending,         65 

Counts  it  your  weal  he  have  his  liberty. 

Enter  HUBERT. 

K.  John.  Let  it  be  so :  I  do  commit  his  youth 

To  your  direction.     Hubert,  what  news  with  you? 

{Taking  him  apart. 

Pern.  This  is  the  man  should  do  the  bloody  deed ; 

He  show'd  his  warrant  to  a  friend  of  mine :  70 

55.  If  what  in  rest,  etc.]  This  line  mentofthe  popular  point  of  view  and 

presents  two  difficulties;  we  cannot  be  not  an  indirect  question  in  a  state  of 

sure  of  the  exact  meaning  of  the  term  un-English  contortion,  as  some  editors 

"in  rest,"  and  the  line  as  a  whole  is  would  take  it. 

meaningless  in  view  of  lines  56-60.  59.  deny]  refuse.    Compare  Middle- 

"  Rest "  can  have  nothing  to  do  with  ton,    Michaelmas    Term,    1.    ii.    35: 

the  game  of  primero,  where  it  stood  "  Deny  a  satin  gown  and  you  dare 

for  the  limiting  stake,  and  it  seems  now." 

best  to  take  it,  with  Mr.  Wright,  as  61,62.  That  the  time's  enemies,  etc.] 

meaning    "  peace,     security."      To  that  the  enemies  of  the  present  state 

make  any  meaning  out  of  the  whole  of  things  may  not  have  this  argument 

passage  we   must  either  adopt  Ma-  to  use  when  opportunity  offers,  etc. 

lone's  suggestion  of  "  hold  not,"  or  64.  goods]  This  plural  form  of  the 

Vaughan's    of   "unright"    for   "in  abstract  is  common  in  Shakespeare, 

fight "  ;  line  57  then  becomes  a  state-  Compare  "  faiths,"  line  6  supra. 


sc. 


ii]  KING  JOHN  99 


The  image  of  a  wicked  heinous  fault 

Lives  in  his  eye ;  that  close  aspect  of  his 

Does  show  the  mood  of  a  much  troubled  breast ; 

And  I  do  fearfully  believe   'tis  done, 

What  we  so  fear'd  he  had  a  charge  to  do.  75 

Sal.  The  colour  of  the  king  doth  come  and  go 
Between  his  purpose  and  his  conscience, 
Like  heralds  'twixt  two  dreadful  battles  set : 
His  passion  is  so  ripe,  it  needs  must  break. 

Pern.  And  when  it  breaks,   1  fear  will  issue  thence        80 
The  foul  corruption  of  a  sweet  child's  death. 

K.  John.  We  cannot  hold  mortality's  strong  hand : 
Good  lords,  although  my  will  to  give  is  living, 
The  suit  which  you  demand  is  gone  and  dead : 
He  tells  us  Arthur  is  deceased  to-night.  85 

Sal.   Indeed  we  fear'd  his  sickness  was  past  cure. 

Pern.  Indeed  we  heard  how  near  his  death  he  was, 
Before  the  child  himself  felt  he  was  sick : 
This  must  be  answer'd  either  here  or  hence. 

K.  John.  Why  do  you  bend  such  solemn  brows  on  me  ?  90 
Think  you  I  bear  the  shears  of  destiny? 
Have  I  commandment  on  the  pulse  of  life? 

Sal.  It  is  apparent  foul-play;  and  'tis  shame 

73.  Does]  F  4;  Doe  F  2 ;  Do  Ff  1,  3  ;  Doth  Dyce  and  Staunton. 

72.  close]  secretive,  suspiciously  re-  "  If  it  were  so,  it  was  a  grievous 

served.     Here  the  word  implies  that  fault, 

Hubert  looked  as  if  he  were  hiding  a  And     grievously     hath     Caesar 

guilty  secret.       Compare   "  closely,"  answer'd  it" 

iv.  i.  133  supra.  93.  apparent]  plainly  evident.    The 

77.    Between   .  .  .  conscie?tce]    be-  modern  word  is  often  used  for  what 

tween   the   thoughts  of  his   accom-  appears  to  be   so,  but  may  not  be, 

plished  design  on  Arthur's  life  and  and  probably  is  not  so. 

his  conscience  as  a  murderer.  gyg<y.  It  is  apparent  foul-play,  etc.] 

89.     answer'd]    atoned    for.        So  it  is  manifest  foul  play,  and  it  is  a 

Julius  Ccesar,  m.  ii.  85  : —  shame  that  those  in  high  places  should 


100  KING  JOHN  [act  iv. 

That  greatness  should  so  grossly  offer  it : 

So  thrive  it  in  your  game!  and  so,  farewell.  95 

Pern.  Stay  yet,  Lord  Salisbury;  I'll  go  with  thee, 
And  find  the  inheritance  of  this  poor  child, 
His  little  kingdom  of  a  forced  grave. 
That  blood  which  owed  the  breadth  of  all  this  isle, 
Three  foot  of  it  doth  hold :  bad  world  the  while !  100 
This  must  not  be  thus  borne:  this  will  break  out 
To  all  our  sorrows,  and  ere  long  I  doubt 

[Exeunt  Lords. 

K.  John.  They  burn  in  indignation.  I  repent: 
There  is  no  sure  foundation  set  on  blood, 
No  certain  life  achieved  by  others'  death.  105 

Enter  a  Messenger. 

A  fearful  eye  thou  hast:   where  is  that  blood 
That  I  have  seen  inhabit  in  those  cheeks? 
So  foul  a  sky  clears  not  without  a  storm : 
Pour  down  thy  weather:  how  goes  all  in  France? 
Mess.  From  France  to  England.     Never  such  a  power  no 
For  any  foreign  preparation 
Was  levied  in  the  body  of  a  land. 
The  copy  of  your  speed  is  learn'd  by  them ; 

99.  breadth]  breath  Rowe.         no.  England.     Never]  Johnson  (Roderick 
conj.) ;  England,  nevir  Ff. 

accomplish  things  so  clumsily.     May         102.  doubt]     Compare     iv.     i.     19 

the  rest  of  your  policy  thrive  in  the  supra. 

same  manner.  107.     inhabit)     intransitive.        So 

100.  bad  world  the  while]  it  is  a  commonly  in  Shakespeare. 

bad  world  when  such  things  happen.         109.  weather]  Here  equivalent  to 

See  Richard  III.  in.  vi.  10 :  "  Here 's  bad  weather,  storm.    So  The  Winter's 

a  good  world  the  while  I "  ;  and  iv.  iii.  Tale,   in.    iii.    104  :    "  Both    roaring 

116  infra.  louder  than  the  sea  or  weather." 


sc.  ii.]  KING  JOHN  101 

For  when  you  should  be  told  they  do  prepare, 

The  tidings  comes  that  they  are  all  arrived.  115 

K.  John.  O,  where  hath  our  intelligence  been  drunk  ? 
Where  hath  it  slept?     Where  is  my  mother's  care, 
That  such  an  army  could  be  drawn  in  France, 
And  she  not  hear  of  it? 

Mess.  My  liege,  her  ear 

Is  stopp'd  with  dust;  the  first  of  April  died  120 

Your  noble  mother :  and,  as  I  hear,  my  lord, 
The  Lady  Constance  in  a  frenzy  died 
Three  days*  before :  but  this  from  rumour's  tongue 
I  idly  heard ;  if  true  or  false  I  know  not. 

K.  John.  Withhold  thy  speed,  dreadful  occasion  !  125 

O,  make  a  league  with  me,  till  I  have  pleased 
My  discontented  peers  !     What !  mother  dead  ! 
How  wildly  then  walks  my  estate  in  France ! 
Under  whose  conduct  came  those  powers  of  France 
That  thou  for  truth  givest  out  are  landed  here?    130 

Mess.  Under  the  Dauphin. 

K.  John.  Thou  hast  made  me  giddy 

With  these  ill  tidings. 

Enter  the  BASTARD  and  PETER  oj  Pomjret. 

Now,  what  says  the  world 

115.  comes]  Ff  i,  2,  3  ;  come  F  4.  118.  could]  Ff  1,  2,  3  ;  should  F  4. 
129.  came]  come  Hanmer. 

116.  117.  O,  where  hath  our  intelli-  The  other  three  read  care.  Ear  in 
gence,  etc.]  We  are  reminded  of  Mac-  line  119  does  not  necessarily  show 
betk,  1.  vii.  35,  36:  "  Was  the  hope  that  eare  was  the  proper  reading,  for 
drunk  wherein  you  dress'd  yourself  ?  it  may  have  been  suggested  by  "  hear  " 
hath  it  slept  since  ?  "  in  line  119. 

117.  care]  It  is  impossible  to  say  125.  occasion]  Perhaps  we  may  best 
whether  the  first  Folio  reads  eare  or  render  this  by  "  hour  of  trial." 

care  as  the  first  letter  has  been  broken. 


102  KING  JOHN  [act  iv. 

To  your  proceedings?  do  not  seek  to  stuff 
My  head  with  more  ill  news,  for  it  is  full. 

Bast.  But  if  you  be  afeard  to  hear  the  worst,  135 

Then  let  the  worst  unheard  fall  on  your  head. 

K.  John.  Bear  with  me,  cousin ;  for  I  was  amazed 
Under  the  tide:  but  now  I  breathe  again 
Aloft  the  flood,  and  can  give  audience 
To  any  tongue,  speak  it  of  what  it  will.  140 

Bast.  How  I  have  sped  among  the  clergy-men, 
The  sums  I  have  collected  shall  express. 
But  as  I  travell'd  hither  through  the  land, 
I  find  the  people  strangely  fantasied ; 
Possess'd  with  rumours,  full  of  idle  dreams,  145 

Not  knowing  what  they  fear,  but  full  of  fear: 
And  here's  a  prophet,  that  I  brought  with  me 
From  forth  the  streets  of  Pomfret,  whom  I  found 
With  many  hundreds  treading  on  his  heels ; 
To  whom  he  sung,  in  rude  harsh-sounding  rhymes,  1 50 
That,  ere  the  next  Ascension-day  at  noon, 
Your  highness  should  deliver  up  your  crown. 

K.  John.  Thou  idle  dreamer,  wherefore  didst  thou  so  ? 

Peter.  Foreknowing  that  the  truth  will  fall  out  so. 

K.  John.  Hubert,  away  with  him ;  imprison  him ;  155 

And  on  that  day  at  noon,  whereon  he  says 

135.  afeard]  afraid  F  4. 

137.  amazed]  bewildered.  Compare  146.  Not  knowing  ...  full  of  fear] 

the   Somerset   "mazed"  which   has  We  have  the  same  idea  in  Macbeth, 

exactly  the  same  meaning ;  and  see  iv.  ii.  19,  20 : — 

iv.   iii.    140  infra,   also  Troublesome  "And    do    not    know    ourselves, 

Raigne,  p.  16,  line  169:  "Nor  mad,  when  we  hold  rumour 

nor  tnazde,  but  well  advised."  From  what  we  fear,   yet   know 

139.  Aloft]  This  is  the  only  use  of  not  what  we  fear." 
this  word  by  Shakespeare  as  a  pre- 
position. 


sc.  ii]  KING  JOHN  103 

I  shall  yield  up  my  crown,  let  him  be  hang'd. 

Deliver  him  to  safety;  and  return, 

For  I  must  use  thee.  [Exit  Hubert  with  Peter. 

O  my  gentle  cousin, 

Hear'st  thou  the  news  abroad,  who  are  arrived  ?  160 
Bast.  The  French,  my  lord ;  men's  mouths  are  full  of  it : 

Besides,  I  met  Lord  Bigot  and  Lord  Salisbury, 

With  eyes  as  red  as  new-enkindled  fire, 

And  others  more,  going  to  seek  the  grave 

Of  Arthur,  whom  they  say  is  kill'd  to-night  165 

On  your  suggestion. 
K.  John.  Gentle  kinsman,  go, 

And  thrust  thyself  into  their  companies: 

I  have  a  way  to  win  their  loves  again; 

Bring  them  before  me. 
Bast.  I  will  seek  them  out. 

K.  John.  Nay,  but  make  haste;  the  better  foot  before.  170 

O,  let  me  have  no  subject  enemies, 

When  adverse  foreigners  affright  my  towns 

With  dreadful  pomp  of  stout  invasion! 

Be  Mercury,  set  feathers  to  thy  heels, 

And  fly  like  thought  from  them  to  me  again.  175 
Bast.  The  spirit  of  the  time  shall  teach  me  speed.  [Exit. 
K.  John.  Spoke  like  a  sprightful  noble  gentleman. 

Go  after  him ;  for  he  perhaps  shall  need 

165,  166.  Of  .  .  .  suggestion]  Rowe  (ed.  2) ;  one  line  in  Ff.         171.  sub- 
ject] F  1 ;  subjects  Ff  2,  3,  4. 

158.  safety]  safe  custody.  referring  to  the  proverbial  expression 

167.  companies]  See  iv.  ii.   6  and  "  the  best  foot  foremost." 
64  for  "faiths"  and  "  goods,"  similar         177.     sprightful]  =  spiritful  =  spir- 

abstract  plurals.  ited.     *'  Spright "  and  "  spirit  "  were 

170.  the  better  foot  before]  Probably  equivalent  in  Elizabethan  English. 


104  KING  JOHN  [act  iv. 

Some  messenger  betwixt  me  and  the  peers; 

And  be  thou  he. 
Mess.  With  all  my  heart,  my  liege.     [Exit.  180 

K.  John.  My  mother  dead  ! 

Re-enter  HUBERT. 

Hub.  My  lord,  they  say  five  moons  were  seen  to-night; 
Four  fixed,  and  the  fifth  did  whirl  about 
The  other  four  in  wondrous  motion. 

K.  John.  Five  moons ! 

Hub.  Old  men  and  beldams  in  the  streets  185 

Do  prophesy  upon  it  dangerously: 
Young  Arthur's  death  is  common  in  their  mouths: 
And  when  they  talk  of  him,  they  shake  their  heads 
And  whisper  one  another  in  the  ear; 
And  he  that  speaks  doth  gripe  the  hearer's  wrist,  190 
Whilst  he  that  hears  makes  fearful  action, 
With  wrinkled  brows,  with  nods,  with  rolling  eyes. 
I  saw  a  smith  stand  with  his  hammer,  thus, 
The  whilst  his  iron  did  on  the  anvil  cool, 
With  open  mouth  swallowing  a  tailor's  news;        195 
Who,  with  his  shears  and  measure  in  his  hand, 
Standing  on  slippers,  which  his  nimble  haste 
Had  falsely  thrust  upon  contrary  feet, 
Told  of  a  many  thousand  warlike  French 

185.  beldams]  belle  dame  meant  (i.)  so  much   trash  as  may  be   grasped 

a     grandmother — compare     Lucrece,  thus." 

953,  "  To  show  the  beldam  daughters         198.  Had  falsely  .  .  .  contrary  feet] 

of    her    daughter "  ;     (ii.)     an    aged  Johnson's  curious  note  that  •'  either 

woman  ;   (iii.)   a  hag.     Here  it  may  shoe  will  equally  admit  either  foot  " 

be  used  in  sense  (ii.)  or  (iii.).  would  never  have  been  written  if  he 

193.     thus]    The    actor    was    left  had  tried   to  suggest  a  reason  why 

to    illustrate    the    word.       Compare  Shakespeare  should  have  alluded  to 

Julius    Casar,    iv.    iii.    26 :    "  For  an  obvious  impossibility. 


sc.  ii]  KING  JOHN  105 

That  were  embattailed  and  rank'd  in  Kent:  200 

Another  lean  unwash'd  artificer 

Cuts  off  his  tale  and  talks  of  Arthur's  death. 

K.  John.  Why  seek'st  thou  to  possess  me  with  these  fears! 

Why  urgest  thou  so  oft  young  Arthur's  death? 

Thy    hand    hath    murder'd    him:    I    had    a    mighty 

cause  205 

To  wish  him  dead,  but  thou  hadst  none  to  kill  him. 

Hub.  No  had,  my  lord !  why,  did  you  not  provoke  me  ? 

K.  John.  It  is  the  curse  of  kings  to  be  attended 

By  slaves  that  take  their  humours  for  a  warrant 

To  break  within  the  bloody  house  of  life,  210 

And  on  the  winking  of  authority 

To  understand  a  law,  to  know  the  meaning 

Of  dangerous  majesty,  when  perchance  it  frowns 

More  upon  humour  than  advised  respect. 

Hub.  Here  is  your  hand  and  seal  for  what  I  did.         215 

K.  John.  O,  when  the  last  account  'ovixt  heaven  and  earth 
Is  to  be  made,  then  shall  this  hand  and  seal 
Witness  against  us  to  damnation ! 

210.  within]  F  i ;  omitted  Ff  2,  3,  4  ;  into  Pope. 

200.  That  .  .  .  Kent]  Scan "  That  Mr.    Wright    considers   the    use    of 

w6re  I  em-bat-  |  tail-^d  |  and    rank'd  "bloody"    here   as    proleptic — "the 

I  in  K6nt."  house  of  life  which  thereby  becomes 

200.  embattailed]  drawn  up  in  battle  bloody."       It    may    also    be    taken 
array.  in  the  ordinary  way,  as  merely  de- 

201.  artificer]  artisan.     The   term  scriptive  of  the  composition   of  the 
is  still  kept  in  the  Navy.  "  house." 

207.  No  had,  my  lord  I]   had  not,         211-214.    And  on   the   winking  of 

my  lord  I     This  peculiar  form  of  re-  authority,  etc.]  when  one  in  authority 

peating    interrogatively    a    negative  winks  to  interpret  it  as  a  command, 

assertion    was    common    in    Shake-  to   know  what  a   king  means  in   a 

speare's      time.       Compare      Ralph  moment  of  anger   when  he    frowns 

Roister  Doister,  1.  iv.  34  :   "  No  is  ?  "  capriciously  and  not  as  a  consequence 

and  11.  iv.  17  :  "  No  did  ?  "  of  deliberation.     Some  quite  unneces- 

207.  provoke]  incite.  sary  alterations  of  this  passage  have 

210.  To  break  .  .  .  house  of  life]  been  suggested. 


106  KING  JOHN  [act  iv. 

How  oft  the  sight  of  means  to  do  ill  deeds 
Make  deeds  ill  done !     Hadst  not  thou  been  by,  220 
A  fellow  by  the  hand  of  nature  mark'd, 
Quoted  and  sign'd  to  do  a  deed  of  shame, 
This  murder  had  not  come  into  my  mind : 
But  taking  note  of  thy  abhori^d  aspect, 
Finding  thee  fit  for  bloody  villany,  225 

Apt,  liable  to  be  employ'd  in  danger, 
I  faintly  broke  with  thee  of  Arthur's  death; 
And  thou,  to  be  endeared  to  a  king, 
Made  it  no  conscience  to  destroy  a  prince. 
Hub.  My  lord, —  230 

K.  John.  Hadst  thou  but  shook  thy  head  or  made  a  pause 
When  I  spake  darkly  what  I  purposed, 
Or  turn'd  an  eye  of  doubt  upon  my  face, 
As  bid  me  tell  my  tale  in  express  words, 
Deep   shame   had  struck  me  dumb,  made   me   break 
off,  235 

And    those   thy   fears    might    have  wrought  fears    in 
me: 

229.  Made]  Mad'st  Pope. 

220.  Make]  Plural  in  number  owing  marked,  noted  in  the  mar  gent  " ;  and 

to  influence  of  "  deeds."     It  is  tempt-  "  Quote  :  a  quote  or  quoting,  a  mark 

ing  to  read  "  Make  ill  deeds  done  "  or  note  upon  an  article." 

with    Knight,   after  a  conjecture  of  226.    liable  to]  capable  of.      See 

Capell's.     But  the  Folios  are  unani-  Julius   Ccrsar,   1.    ii.   199 :    "  If  my 

mous,  and  it  seems  to  me  that  their  name  were  liable  to  fear." 

reading  is  undoubtedly  right,   mean-  227.  broke  with  thee]  communicated 

ing   "  How  oft    the  sight  of  means  with  thee,  mentioned  to  thee, 

to  do  ill   deeds  makes    deeds  done  233,  234.  Or  turn'd  an  eye,  etc.]  or 

which  it  were  ill    to    do" — in   fact  hadst   thou  turned   such   an  eye  of 

"  ill "  is  another  proleptic  adjective,  doubt  upon  me  as  would  have  bid 

See  line  210  tuf>ra.  me   tell,  etc.     John,  of  course,  had 

222.  Quoted]  specially  marked  out.  told    Hubert  his  tale    "in    express 

See     Cotgrave,     "  Quote ;      quoted,  words." 


sc  ii]  KING  JOHN  107 

But  thou  didst  understand  rae  by  my  signs 

And  didst  in  signs  again  parley  with  sin; 

Y    l.  without  stop,  didst  let  thy  heart  consent, 

A  nd  consequently  thy  rude  hand  to  act  240 

The  deed,  which  both  our  tongues  held  vile  to  name. 

Out  of  my  sight,  and  never  see  me  more ! 

My  nobles  leave  me;  and  my  state  is  braved, 

Even  at  my  gates,  with  ranks  of  foreign  powers : 

Nay,  in  the  body  of  this  fleshly  land,  245 

This  kingdom,  this  confine  of  blood  and  breath, 

Hostility  and  civil  tumult  reigns 

Between  my  conscience  and  my  cousin's  death. 

Hub.  Arm  you  against  your  other  enemies, 

I'll  make  a  peace  between  your  soul  and  you.      250 

Young  Arthur  is  alive :  this  hand  of  mine 

Is  yet  a  maiden  and  an  innocent  hand, 

Not  painted  with  the  crimson  spots  of  blood. 

Within  this  bosom  never  enterVl  yet 

The  dreadful  motion  of  a  murderous  thought ;      255 

And  you  have  slander'd  nature  in  my  form, 

Which,  howsoever  rude  exteriorly, 

Is  yet  the  cover  of  a  fairer  mind 

Than  to  be  butcher  of  an  innocent  child. 

K.  Jokn.  Doth  Arthur  live  ?    O,  haste  thee  to  the  peers,  26b 
Throw  this  report  on  their  incensed  rage, 
And  make  them  tame  to  their  obedience! 


H3»   "V   st*t*]   my    authority  as  347.  rtifns)  Singular  number  owing 

ttftf  to  the  nominatives  both  conveying  a 

*45,  Here  the  Long  MS.  gives  a  similar  idea.  Compare  iv.  i.  xaonr/r*. 

stagVdirection,    "Laying    his  hand  Hanmer  corrected  it  to  "  rttgn." 

upon  his  breast.''*    John  is  evidently  853,  mk>o«n]  impulse.    Compare  1. 

referring  to  his  own  body.  i.  ats  tmfrm. 


108  KING  JOHN  [act  iv 

Forgive  the  comment  that  my  passion  made 

Upon  thy  feature ;  for  my  rage  was  blind, 

And  foul  imaginary  eyes  of  blood  265 

Presented  thee  more  hideous  than  thou  art. 

O,  answer  not,  but  to  my  closet  bring 

The  angry  lords  with  all  expedient  haste. 

I  conjure  thee  but  slowly;  run  more  fast.       [Exeunt. 


SCENE  III.— Before  the  castle. 

Enter  ARTHUR,  on  the  walls. 

Arth.  The  wall  is  high,  and  yet  will  I  leap  down: 
Good  ground,  be  pitiful  and  hurt  me  not ! 
There's  few  or  none  do  know  me:  if  they  did, 
This  ship-boy's  semblance  hath  disguised  me  quite. 
I  am  afraid ;  and  yet  I  '11  venture  it.  5 

If  I  get  down,  and  do  not  break  my  limbs, 
I  '11  find  a  thousand  shifts  to  get  away : 
As  good  to  die  and  go,  as  die  and  stay.   {Leaps  down. 
O  me !  my  uncle's  spirit  is  in  these  stones : 
Heaven  take  my  soul,  and  England  keep  my  bones !  10 

[Dies. 

Enter  PEMBROKE,  SALISBURY,  and  BlGOT. 

Sal.  Lords,  I  will  meet  him  at  Saint  Edmundsbury: 

It  is  our  safety,  and  we  must  embrace 

This  gentle  offer  of  the  perilous  time. 
Pern.  Who  brought  that  letter  from  the  cardinal? 

11.  Saint]  Fa;  S.  F  1 ;  St.  Ff  3,  4. 
265.  imaginary]  imaginative. 


sc.  in]  KING  JOHN  109 

Sal.  The  Count  Melun,  a  noble  lord  of  France;  15 

Whose  private  with  me  of  the  Dauphin's  love 
Is  much  more  general  than  these  lines  import. 

Big.  To-morrow  morning  let  us  meet  him  then. 

Sal.  Or  rather  then  set  forward  ;  for  'twill  be 

Two  long  days'  journey,  lords,  or  ere  we  meet.       20 

Enter  the  BASTARD. 

Bast.  Once  more  to-day  well  met,  distemper'd  lords! 
The  king  by  me  requests  your  presence  straight. 

Sal.  The  king  hath  dispossess'd  himself  of  us : 
We  will  not  line  his  thin  bestained  cloak 
With  our  pure  honours,  nor  attend  the  foot  25 

That  leaves  the  print  of  blood  where'er  it  walks. 
Return  and  tell  him  so:  we  know  the  worst 

Bast.  Whate'er  you  think,  good  words,  I  think,  were  best. 

15.  Melun]  Rowe;  Meloone  F  1 ;    Melloone  Ff  2,  3,  4. 

15.  Melun]  We  have  here  followed  hensive  in  its  terms  than  the  formal 
the  generally  accepted  modernisation  and  more  guarded  letter  ;  a  rendering 
of  the  spelling.  The  Folios  indicate  which  makes  "  private  "  =  private 
the   pronunciation   of  the  time  and  conversation,  more  likely. 

the  accentuation  necessary  to  make  21.  distemper'd]  ill-tempered.  Com- 

the  line  scan.  pare  Hamlet,  111.  ii.  312:  "The  king 

16.  private]  Here  equivalent  to  ...  is  in  his  retirement  marvellous 
private    communication    either     by  distempered." 

letter  from   the  Dauphin   or   in  con-  24.  thin    bestained]    These  words 

versation  with  Melun,  more  probably  are  hyphened  in  the  Folios,  and  as  a 

the  latter.     Compare  Twelfth  Night,  consequence  we  have  the   following 

in.  iv.  100 :  "  Let  me  enjoy  my  private :  emendations.     Singer  (ed.  2),  follow  - 

go   off."      For   "with    me"   Collier  ing     Collier     MS.,    "  sin-bestained" 

substitutes  "  missive,"  and  Spedding  Cartwright  (conj.)  "  thick-bestained," 

conjectures  "witness."  Gould  (conj.)  " kin-bestained."     But 

17.  Is  much  more  general,  etc.]  The  surely  it  is  better  to  drop  the  hyphen 
meaning  of"  general"  here  is  rather  and  leave  the  words  untouched  when 
obscure.  Hanmer  cleverly  gets  over  they  give  such  an  obvious  meaning, 
the  difficulty  by  reading  "  Is  much  for  the  hyphens  of  the  Folios  are 
more  than  these  general  lines  impart."  quite  unreliable.  "T/»t«"and  "be- 
As  it  stands  we  must  take  it  to  mean  stained  "  offer  two  distinct  ideas,  and 
that  the  private  communication  of  "  thin "  is  absolutely  necessary  be- 
the  Count  was  much  more  compre-  cause  it  carries  out  the  idea  of "  line." 


110  KING  JOHN  [act  iv. 

Sal.  Our  griefs,  and  not  our  manners,  reason  now. 

Bast.  But  there  is  little  reason  in  your  grief;  30 

Therefore  'twere  reason  you  had  manners  now. 

Pern.  Sir,  sir,  impatience  hath  his  privilege. 

Bast.  Tis  true,  to  hurt  his  master,  no  man  else. 

Sal.  This  is  the  prison.     What  is  he  lies  here? 

[Seeing  Arthur. 

Pent.    O    death,    made    proud    with    pure    and    princely 
beauty!  35 

The  earth  had  not  a  hole  to  hide  this  deed. 

Sal.  Murder,  as  hating  what  himself  hath  done, 
Doth  lay  it  open  to  urge  on  revenge. 

Big.  Or,  when  he  doom'd  this  beauty  to  a  grave, 

Found  it  too  precious-princely  for  a  grave.  40 

Sal.  Sir  Richard,  what  think  you?  have  you  beheld, 
Or  have  you  read  or  heard?  or  could  you  think? 
Or  do  you  almost  think,  although  you  see, 
That  you  do  see?  could  thought,  without  this  object, 
Form  such  another?     This  is  the  very  top,  45 

The  height,  the  crest,  or  crest  unto  the  crest, 
Of  murder's  arms :  this  is  the  bloodiest  shame, 
The  wildest  savagery,  the  vilest  stroke, 
That  ever  wall-eyed  wrath  or  staring  rage 
Presented  to  the  tears  of  soft  remorse.  50 

41.  have  you  beheld]  Ff  3,  4 ;  you  have  beheld  Ff  1,  2. 

33.  man]  This  is  printed  mans  in  chevre :  a  whall,  or  over-white  eye ;  an 

some  copies  of  the   first   Folio,  but  eye  full  of  white  spots,  or  whose  apple 

seems  to  have  been  corrected  in  the  seems  divided  by  a  streak  of  white." 

press,  for  Collier  says  that  the  Duke  49.  staring]  In  Elizabethan  English 

of  Devonshire's  copy  reads  "  man."  "staring"   meant   to  glare   fiercely. 

49.  wall-eyed]  having  eyes  which  Compare  Julius  Casar,  iv.  iii.  40 : 
from  some  defect  appear  to  stare  "  Shall  I  be  frighted  when  a  mad- 
fiercely.    Compare  Cotgrave,  "Oeil  de  man  stares  ?  " 


sc.  in]  KING  JOHN  111 

Pern.  All  murders  past  do  stand  excused  in  this : 

And  this,  so  sole  and  so  unmatchable, 

Shall  give  a  holiness,  a  purity, 

To  the  yet  unbegotten  sin  of  times ; 

And  prove  a  deadly  bloodshed  but  a  jest,  55 

Exampled  by  this  heinous  spectacle. 
Bast.  It  is  a  damned  and  a  bloody  work ; 

The  graceless  action  of  a  heavy  hand, 

If  that  it  be  the  work  of  any  hand. 
Sal.  If  that  it  be  the  work  of  any  hand !  60 

We  had  a  kind  of  light  what  would  ensue : 

It  is  the  shameful  work  of  Hubert's  hand ; 

The  practice  and  the  purpose  of  the  king: 

From  whose  obedience  I  forbid  my  soul, 

Kneeling  before  this  ruin  of  sweet  life,  65 

And  breathing  to  his  breathless  excellence 

The  incense  of  a  vow,  a  holy  vow, 

Never  to  taste  the  pleasures  of  the  world, 

Never  to  be  infected  with  delight, 

Nor  conversant  with  ease  and  idleness,  70 

Till  I  have  set  a  glory  to  this  hand, 

By  giving  it  the  worship  of  revenge. 

'  \  Our  souls  religiously  confirm  thy  words. 
Big.    J 

60.  hand  I]  hand  ?  Ff. 

54.     times)    i.e.    times    to    come,  67.  The  incense  of  a  vow,  etc.]  By 

future  ages.  Compare  Lucrece,  717: —  reading  "  head  "  for  "  hand  "  in  line 

•'For    now    against    himself    he  71,  Pope  manufactured  what  Staunton 

sounds  this  doom,  called  a  more  elegant  sense.     What 

That  through  the  length  of  times  happens  is  that  Salisbury  raises  his 

he  stands  disgraced."  own  hand  to  Heaven  as  he  makes  his 

62,   63.    It  is    the  shameful,   etc.]  vow  in  the  customary  manner.    There 

Hubert's  hand  did  the  deed  to  suit  is  no  reason  for  taking  the  hand  of  the 

the  king's  plots  and  purposes,  dead  prince  as  Mason  suggests. 


112  KING  JOHN  [act  iv. 

Enter  HUBERT. 

Hub.  Lords,  I  am  hot  with  haste  in  seeking  you : 

Arthur  doth  live ;  the  king  hath  sent  for  you.         75 

Sal.  O,  he  is  bold  and  blushes  not  at  death. 
A  vaunt,  thou  hateful  villain,  get  thee  gone  ! 

Hub.  I  am  no  villain. 

Sal.  Must  I  rob  the  law? 

[Drawing  his  sword. 

Bast.  Your  sword  is  bright,  sir;  put  it  up  again. 

Sal.  Not  till  I  sheathe  it  in  a  murderer's  skin.  80 

Hub.  Stand  back,  Lord  Salisbury,  stand  back,  I  say; 
By  heaven,  I  think  my  sword 's  as  sharp  as  yours : 
I  would  not  have  you,  lord,  forget  yourself, 
Nor  tempt  the  danger  of  my  true  defence ; 
Lest  I,  by  marking  of  your  rage,  forget  85 

Your  worth,  your  greatness  and  nobility. 

Big.  Out,  dunghill !  darest  thou  brave  a  nobleman  ? 

Hub.  Not  for  my  life:  but  yet  I  dare  defend 
My  innocent  life  against  an  emperor. 

Sal.  Thou  art  a  murderer. 

Hub.  Do  not  prove  me  so;  90 

Yet  I  am  none:  whose  tongue  soe'er  speaks  false, 
Not  truly  speaks;  who  speaks  not  truly,  lies. 

77.      Avaunt]      a      contemptuous  84.    Nor    tempt  .  .  .  defence]    nor 

method  of  driving  a  person   away,  run  the  risk  of  attacking  my  defence 

Compare   Cotgrave,  "  Devant  (inter-  as  a  just  man.     "  True  "  may  have 

ject.) :   used,  as  our  Avaunt,  in   the  the  double  meaning  here  of  Hubert's 

driving  away  of  a  dog."  defence  of  himself  in  justice  and  of 

79.  Your  sword  is  bright,  etc.]  It  his  good  defence  as  a  swordsman, 

is  somewhat  strange  to  see  the  Bastard  90.  Do  not  prove  me  so]  do  not  make 

acting  as  peacemaker.     He  is  however  me  one  by  causing  me  to  murder  you. 

commissioned  to  do  so  by  John,  to  91.     whose     tongue    .    .    .   false] 

whom  he  owes  everything.     Still  on  Hubert  is  calling  Salisbury  a  liar  in 

the  least  genuine  excuse  he  is  ready  a  manner  befitting  his  humbler  posi- 

for  mischief  (see  line  95,  etc.  infra).  tion. 


sc.  in]  KING  JOHN  113 

Pern.  Cut  him  to  pieces. 

Bast.  Keep  the  peace,  I  say. 

Sal.  Stand  by,  or  I  shall  gall  you,  Faulconbridge. 

Bast.  Thou  wert  better  gall  the  devil,  Salisbury:  95 

If  thou  but  frown  on  me,  or  stir  thy  foot, 
Or  teach  thy  hasty  spleen  to  do  me  shame, 
I  '11  strike  thee  dead.     Put  up  thy  sword  betime ; 
Or  I  '11  so  maul  you  and  your  toasting-iron, 
That  you  shall  think  the  devil  is  come  from  hell.  100 

Big.  What  wilt  thou  do,  renowned  Faulconbridge  ? 
Second  a  villain  and  a  murderer? 

Hub.  Lord  Bigot,  I  am  none. 

Big.  Who  kill'd  this  prince? 

Hub.  'Tis  not  an  hour  since  I  left  him  well : 

I  honour'd  him,  I  loved  him,  and  will  weep  105 

My  date  of  life  out  for  his  sweet  life's  loss. 

Sal.  Trust  not  those  cunning  waters  of  his  eyes, 
For  villany  is  not  without  such  rheum ; 
And  he,  long  traded  in  it,  makes  it  seem 
Like  rivers  of  remorse  and  innocency.  no 

Away  with  me,  all  you  whose  souls  abhor 
The  uncleanly  savours  of  a  slaughter-house ; 
For  I  am  stifled  with  this  smell  of  sin. 

Big.  Away  toward  Bury,  to  the  Dauphin  there! 

94>  95-  gall]  gaul  Ff.         110.  innocency]  innocence  Pope.         112.  savours] 
F  1 ;  savour  Ff  2,  3,  4. 

94.  gall]  wound.     Compare  Henry  Elizabethan      meaning.        Compare 

VIII.  in.  ii.  207  : —  Daniel,  Civil    Warres    (1595),  bk.    i. 

"  So  looks  the  chafed  lion  stanza  15  (ed.  Grosart) : — 

Upon  the  daring  huntsman  that  "  False  John  usurpes  his  Nephew 

hath  galled  him."  Arthur's  right  .  .  . 

97.  spleen]  anger.     Compare  11.   i.  Murders  the  lawfull  heire  with- 

448  supra,  and  v.  vii.  50  infra.  out  remorse." 
no.     remorse]    pity,    the    general 
8 


Ill  KING  JOHN  [act  iv. 

Pern.  There  tell  the  king  he  may  inquire  us  out.  1 1 5 

[Exeunt  Lords. 

Bast.  Here 's  a  good  world  !     Knew  you  of  this  fair  work  ? 
Beyond  the  infinite  and  boundless  reach 
Of  mercy,  if  thou  didst  this  deed  of  death, 
Art  thou  damn'd,  Hubert. 

Hub.  Do  but  hear  me,  sir. 

Bast.  Ha!  I'll  tell  thee  what;  120 

Thou'rt  damn'd  as  black — nay,  nothing  is  so  black  ; 
Thou  art  more  deep  damn'd  than  Prince  Lucifer: 
There  is  not  yet  so  ugly  a  fiend  of  hell 
As  thou  shalt  be,  if  thou  didst  kill  this  child. 

Hub.  Upon  my  soul — 

Bast.  If  thou  didst  but  consent        125 

To  this  most  cruel  act,  do  but  despair; 
And  if  thou  want'st  a  cord,  the  smallest  thread 
That  ever  spider  twisted  from  her  womb 
Will  serve  to  strangle  thee;  a  rush  will  be  a  beam 
To  hang  thee  on ;   or  wouldst  thou  drown  thyself,  1 30 
Put  but  a  little  water  in  a  spoon, 
And  it  shall  be  as  all  the  ocean, 
Enough  to  stifle  such  a  villain  up. 
I  do  suspect  thee  very  grievously. 

117-119.  Beyond  .  .  .  Hubert]   Pope's  arrangement;  Ff  make  two  lines, 
first  ending  at  mercy.  119.  Art  thou]  Thou  art  F  4. 

116.  Here's  a  good  world  I]  Com-  Item,  paid  to  three  black  souls, 

pare  iv.  ii.  100  supra.  5s. 

121.  damn'd  as  blac k]  The  souls  of  Item,  for  making  and  mending 

the  damned  were  in  Mystery  plays  of  the  black  souls'  hose,  6d. 

represented     by    actors     who     were  Paid   for  blacking  of  the  souls' 

blacked.       Compare    the    queer    bill  faces,  6d." 

quoted  by  Staunton  for  the  Coventry  126.  do  but  despair]  only  despair 

plays : —  is  left  for  you. 

"  Item,  paid  to  three  white  souls,  5s.  132.  ocean]  A  trisyllable. 


sc   in]  KING  JOHN  115 

Hub.  If  I  in  act,  consent,  or  sin  of  thought,  135 

Be  guilty  of  the  stealing  that  sweet  breath 
Which  was  embounded  in  this  beauteous  clay, 
Let  hell  want  pains  enough  to  torture  me. 
I  left  him  well. 

Bast.  Go,  bear  him  in  thine  arms. 

I  am  amazed,  methinks,  and  lose  my  way  140 

Among  the  thorns  and  dangers  of  this  world. 

How  easy  dost  thou  take  all  England  up  ! 

From  forth  this  morsel  of  dead  royalty, 

The  life,  the  right  and  truth  of  all  this  realm 

Is  fled  to  heaven;  and  England  now  is  left  145 

To  tug  and  scamble  and  to  part  by  the  teeth 

The  unowed  interest  of  proud-swelling  state. 

Now  for  the  bare-pick'd  bone  of  majesty 

Doth  dogged  war  bristle  his  angry  crest 

And  snarleth  in  the  gentle  eyes  of  peace:  150 

Now  powers  from  home  and  discontents  at  home 

Meet  in  one  line;  and  vast  confusion  waits, 

As  doth  a  raven  on  a  sick-fallen  beast, 

The  imminent  decay  of  wrested  pomp. 

136,  137.  Be  guilty  of  the  stealing,    catch    may."      Rowe    emended    to 
etc.]  Compare  m.  iv.  19  and  iv.   ii.     "scramble." 

246  supra.  147.    unowed]    unowned,    for    the 

137.  embounded  in]  enclosed  with-    ownership  was  being  scrambled  for. 
in.  Compare  "  owe,"  iv.  i.  123,  etc.  supra. 

140.     amazed]     stupefied,     struck  151.  powers  from  home,  etc.]  foreign 

dumb  with  astonishment.     Compare  armies  and  internal  rebels.    Abstract 

iv.  ii.  137  supra.  for  concrete. 

146.  scamble]  scramble  for,  get  by  152.  waits]   =   awaits;   transitive, 

rough   means.     Compare    Henry    V.  the  direct  object  being  "  decay." 

1.  i.  4  :  "the  scambling  and  unquiet  154.  wrested  pomp]  One  is  tempted 

times."  Cotgrave  has  "  Griffe  graffe  :  to    paraphrase    this    as     "  Usurpyd 

by    hook    or     by    crook,    squimble  Power,"  one  of  the  "characters"  in 

squamble,    scamblingly,    catch    that  Bale's  Kynge  Johan. 


11C  KING  JOHN  [act  iv 

Now  happy  he  whose  cloak  and  cincture  can         155 
Hold  out  this  tempest.     Bear  away  that  child 
And  follow  me  with  speed :   I  '11  to  the  king : 
A  thousand  businesses  are  brief  in  hand, 
And  heaven  itself  doth  frown  upon  the  land. 

{Exeunt. 

155.  cincture]  So  Pope ;  center  Ff.  158.  in]  at  Rowe. 

158.  brief  in  hand]  call  for  immediate  attention  or  dispatch. 


ACT  V 

SCENE  I. — King  Johns  palace. 

Enter  KING  JOHN,  PANDULPH,  and  Attendants. 

K.  John.  Thus  have  I  yielded  up  into  your  hand 

The  circle  of  my  glory.  [Giving  the  crown. 

Pand.  Take  again 

From  this  my  hand,  as  holding  of  the  pope 
Your  sovereign  greatness  and  authority. 

K.  John.  Now  keep  your  holy  word :  go  meet  the  French,  5 
And  from  his  holiness  use  all  your  power 
To  stop  their  marches  'fore  we  are  inflamed. 
Our  discontented  counties  do  revolt ; 
Our  people  quarrel  with  obedience, 
Swearing  allegiance  and  the  love  of  soul  10 

2.  Take  again]  Lettsom  con-  this  as  "  nobles  "  (county  =  count,  as 
jectured  "  Take  't  again,"  which  Dyce  in  Romeo  and  Juliet),  with  Steevens 
printed  in  his  second  edition.  An  and  Delius,  or  as  "  shires,"  with 
object  is  thus  supplied  to  "  take."  Schmidt  and  Wright  ?  I  think  the 
Heath  conjectures  that  "  From  this  "  fact  that  there  is  no  mention  of  the 
should  read  "  This  from,"  which  rebellion  of  the  nobles  (which  at  that 
very  ingeniously  achieves  the  same  time  was  the  real  danger,  as  Shake- 
end.  By  inserting  a  comma  after  speare  knew),  if  this  is  supposed  not 
"pope,"  "sovereign  greatness  and  to  refer  to  them,  decides  the  matter, 
authority "  may  be  made  object  to  John  would  never  have  omitted  them 
"  take "  :  the  meaning  is  thus  pre-  from  his  list  of  troubles.  This 
served  and  the  grammatical  con-  reason  overweighs  the  negative 
struction  saved.  It  is  so  printed  in  evidence  that  "  counties  "  is  used  by 
the  1821  Boswell-Malone.  The  Folios  Shakespeare  in  other  places  only  for 
have  no  comma.  Italian  nobles. 

8.    counties]  Are  we   to   interpret         10.  love  of  soul]  the  sincerest  love. 

117 


118  KING  JOHN  [act  v. 

To  stranger  blood,  to  foreign  royalty. 

This  inundation  of  mistempered  humour 

Rests  by  you  only  to  be  qualified : 

Then  pause  not ;  for  the  present  time 's  so  sick, 

That  present  medicine  must  be  minister'd,  15 

Or  overthrow  incurable  ensues. 

Pand.  It  was  my  breath  that  blew  this  tempest  up, 
Upon  your  stubborn  usage  of  the  pope; 
But  since  you  are  a  gentle  convertite, 
My  tongue  shall  hush  again  this  storm  of  war,       20 
And  make  fair  weather  in  your  blustering  land. 
On  this  Ascension-day,  remember  well, 
Upon  your  oath  of  service  to  the  pope, 
Go  I  to  make  the  French  lay  down  their  arms.    [Exit. 

K.  John.  Is  this  Ascension-day?     Did  not  the  prophet  25 
Say  that  before  Ascension-day  at  noon 
My  crown  I  should  give  off?     Even  so  I  have : 
I  did  suppose  it  should  be  on  constraint ; 
But,  heaven  be  thank'd,  it  is  but  voluntary. 

Enter  the  BASTARD. 

Bast.  All  Kent  hath  yielded  ;  nothing  there  holds  out   30 
But  Dover  Castle :  London  hath  received, 
Like  a  kind  host,  the  Dauphin  and  his  powers: 
Your  nobles  will  not  hear  you,  but  are  gone 

16.  incurable]  incurably  F  4. 

Mr.    Moore-Smith    quotes    Measure  qualifie,  mitigate."     So  Two  Gentle- 

for  Measure,  1.  i.  18  :  "  we  have  with  men  of    Verona,   11.   vii.   22  :    "  But 

special      soul    elected      him,"     and  qualify  the  fire's  extreme  rage." 

Schmidt's  dictum  that  the  soul  is  re-  19.   convertite]    An     old    form    of 

presented  as  "the  seat  of  real,   not  "convert."     Compare  Lucrece,  743: 

only  professed,  sentiments."  "  He   thence    departs   a   heavy  con- 

13.  qualified]  stemmed.     Cotgrave  vertite." 
has  "Seder:  to  still,  quiet,  asswage, 


sc.  i]  KING  JOHN  119 

To  offer  service  to  your  enemy, 

And  wild  amazement  hurries  up  and  down  35 

The  little  number  of  your  doubtful  friends. 

K.  John.  Would  not  my  lords  return  to  me  again, 
After  they  heard  young  Arthur  was  alive? 

Bast.  They  found  him  dead  and  cast  into  the  streets, 

An  empty  casket,  where  the  jewel  of  life  40 

By  some  damn'd  hand  was  robb'd  and  ta'en  away. 

K.  John.  That  villain  Hubert  told  me  he  did  live. 

Bast.  So,  on  my  soul,  he  did,  for  aught  he  knew. 

But  wherefore  do  you  droop  ?  why  look  you  sad  ? 

Be  great  in  act,  as  you  have  been  in  thought;        45 

Let  not  the  world  see  fear  and  sad  distrust 

Govern  the  motion  of  a  kingly  eye: 

Be  stirring  as  the  time  ;  be  fire  with  fire ; 

Threaten  the  threatener,  and  outface  the  brow 

Of  bragging  horror:  so  shall  inferior  eyes,  50 

That  borrow  their  behaviours  from  the  great, 

Grow  great  by  your  example  and  put  on 

The  dauntless  spirit  of  resolution. 

Away,  and  glister  like  the  god  of  war, 

When  he  intendeth  to  become  the  field  :  5  5 

Show  boldness  and  aspiring  confidence. 

What,  shall  they  seek  the  lion  in  his  den, 

36.  your]  F  1  ;  omitted  Ff  2,  3,  4.        40.  where]  whence  Keightley  conj.. 

49.  out/ace]  stare  down.     Compare  "  Should  we  contest  I  can 

2  Henry  VI.  iv.  x.  49  : —  Outface  the  proudest." 

'*  Oppose  thy  steadfast-gazing  eyes  55.  to  become]  to  adorn.     Compare 

to  mine,  Henry  V.  iv.  ii.  40 : — 

See  if  thou  canst  outface  me  with  *•  Yon  island  carrions,  desperate  of 

thy  looks  "  ;  their  bones, 

also  Heywood's  Fair  Maide  of  the  111  favouredly  become  the  morning 

West  (ed.  Pearson,  ii.  287): —  field." 


ttO  KING  JOHN  [act  v. 

And  fright  him  there?  and  make  him  tremble  there? 
O,  let  it  not  be  said:  forage,  and  run 
To  meet  displeasure  farther  from  the  doors,  60 

And  grapple  with  him  ere  he  come  so  nigh. 

K.  John.  The  legate  of  the  pope  hath  been  with  me, 
And  I  have  made  a  happy  peace  with  him  ; 
And  he  hath  promised  to  dismiss  the  powers 
Led  by  the  Dauphin. 

Bast.  O  inglorious  league!  65 

Shall  we,  upon  the  footing  of  our  land, 
Send  fair-play  orders  and  make  compromise, 
Insinuation,  parley  and  base  truce 
To  arms  invasive?  shall  a  beardless  boy, 
A  cocker'd  silken  wanton,  brave  our  fields,  70 

And  flesh  his  spirit  in  a  warlike  soil, 
Mocking  the  air  with  colours  idly  spread, 
And  find  no  check  ?     Let  us,  my  liege,  to  arms : 
Perchance  the  cardinal  cannot  make  your  peace; 

67.  compromise]    comprimise   Ff.  72.   idly]    idlely    Ff  1,   2 ;    idely 

Ff3,4- 

59.  forage]  range  abroad,  or,  per-  70.  cocker'd  .  .  .  wanton]  Very  com- 
haps,  seize  supplies  by  force.  Com-  mon  in  Elizabethan  English.  Cot- 
pare  Edward  III.  iv.  iii.  81  :  "  And  grave  throws  light  on  this  expression 
forage  their  country  as  they  have  — "  To  cocker :  .  .  .  mignarder " ; 
done  ours."  Shakespeare  uses  the  "  Mignarder  :  to  lull,  feddle,  dandle, 
word  several  times.  Compare  Henry  cherish,  wantonnize,  make  much  or 
V.  1.  ii.  no: —  make  a  wanton  of."    Compare  Gos- 

*' Stood  smiling  to  behold  his  lion's  son's  Schoole  of  Abuse  (Aiber):  "  They 

whelp  are    cockered    continually    in    those 

Forage  in  blood."  islandes,  where  they  see  nothing  but 

Cotgrave   has   "  Fourrager :   ...  to  Foxes,  and  Hares,  wil  never  be  per- 

forrage,  ...  to  ransack,  ravage,  boot  suaded  that  there  are  huger  beastes." 

hale  it."  71.  flesh]  to  make  an  animal  savage 

66-69.  Shall  we  .   .   .   invasive  ?]  by  foretaste  of  flesh.     Compare  Hak- 

shall  we,  with  our  feet  upon  our  own  luyt   (1577),  ed.   Maclehose,  x.  498  : 

soil,  make  overtures  of  peace  to  in-  "  The  tigers  being  fleshed  on   those 

vading  forces?  dead  carkeisse." 


sc.  ii]  KING  JOHN  121 

Or  if  he  do,  let  it  at  least  be  said  75 

They  saw  we  had  a  purpose  of  defence. 

K.  John.  Have  thou  the  ordering  of  this  present  time. 

Bast.  Away,  then,  with  good  courage !  yet,  I  know, 

Our  party  may  well  meet  a  prouder  foe.        \Exeunt. 

SCENE  II. —  The  Dauphiris  camp  at  St.  Edmundsbury. 

Enter,  in  amis,  LEWIS,  SALISBURY,  MELUN,  PEMBROKE, 
BIGOT,  and  Soldiers. 

Lew.  My  Lord  Melun,  let  this  be  copied  out, 
And  keep  it  safe  for  our  remembrance: 
Return  the  precedent  to  these  lords  again ; 
That,  having  our  fair  order  written  down, 
Both  they  and  we,  perusing  o'er  these  notes,  5 

May  know  wherefore  we  took  the  sacrament 
And  keep  our  faiths  firm  and  inviolable. 

Sal.  Upon  our  sides  it  never  shall  be  broken. 
And,  noble  Dauphin,  albeit  we  swear 
A  voluntary  zeal  and  an  unurged  faith  10 

To  your  proceedings ;  yet  believe  me,  prince, 
I  am  not  glad  that  such  a  sore  of  time 

3.  precedent]  Johnson  ;  president  Ff. 

78,  79.  Away,  then,    .    .    .  prouder  I  am  confident  that  our  party  could 

foe]     We     can    hardly     agree     with  beat  a  stronger  foe." 
Johnson    that    the    Bastard    is  here 

showing  the  white  feather  by  mean-  Scene  //. 
ing  "  Yet  I  so  well  know  the  faintness 

of  our   party,   that    I    think   it   may  i.    this]     the     compact    with    the 

easily  happen    that    they    shall   en-  English  lords.    As  an  actual  document 

counter    enemies     who     have    more  it  is  evidently  the  same  as  the  "  pre- 

spirit   than  themselves."     Quite    the  cedent,"  the  original  draft  which  was 

contrary  meaning  is  more  in  keeping  to   be  returned   to   the   Englishmen, 

with    the    Bastard's     character    and  while    "  it "    in    line    2    must    have 

with  the  continual  appeal  to  English  meant  the  copy   that  Philip  ordered 

patriotism  in   the  play — "  Even  now  to  be  made. 


122  KING  JOHN  [act  v. 

Should  seek  a  plaster  by  contemn'd  revolt, 

And  heal  the  inveterate  canker  of  one  wound 

By  making  many.     O,  it  grieves  my  soul,  15 

That  I  must  draw  this  metal  from  my  side 

To  be  a  widow-maker!     O,  and  there 

Where  honourable  rescue  and  defence 

Cries  out  upon  the  name  of  Salisbury! 

But  such  is  the  infection  of  the  time,  20 

That,  for  the  health  and  physic  of  our  right, 

We  cannot  deal  but  with  the  very  hand 

Of  stern  injustice  and  confused  wrong. 

And  is  't  not  pity,  O  my  grieved  friends, 

That  we,  the  sons  and  children  of  this  isle,  25 

Were  born  to  see  so  sad  an  hour  as  this; 

Wherein  we  step  after  a  stranger,  march 

Upon  her  gentle  bosom,  and  fill  up 

Her  enemies'  ranks, — I  must  withdraw  and  weep 

Upon  the  spot  of  this  enforced  cause, —  30 

To  grace  the  gentry  of  a  land  remote, 

16.  metal]  Rowe  (ed.  2) ;  mettle  Ff.  27.  stranger,  march]  Ff ;  stranger 
march  Theobald ;  stranger's  march  Long  MS. ;  stranger  monarch  Herr  conj. 

14.  And  heal]  We  may  take  the  "  And  cried,  in  fainting,  upon  Rosa- 
construction  to  be  either  "  such  a  lind."  I  incline  to  the  second  inter- 
sore  of  time  .  .  .  (should)  heal "  or  pretation,  because  it  has  more 
"  (I  am  not  glad  to)  heal."  connection    with   what   goes  before. 

17-19.  O,  and  there  .  .  .  Salisbury]  "  It    grieves    my   soul    to  draw   my 

Two  explanations  of  the  meaning  of  sword  in   order  to  become  a  widow 

these    lines    are    offered,      (i.)    The  maker,  and  that  among  those  whom 

English  honourably  engaged  in  fight-  I  ought  to  rescue  and  protect." 

ing    on   their   country's    side   would  27.  stranger,  march]  Theobald  and 

exclaim  against  Salisbury  as  a  traitor,  some  others  would  omit  the  comma 

Compare  1   Henry  IV.   iv.   iii.   81 :  after  *'  stranger,"  thus  making  it  an 

"Cries  out  upon  abuses."     (ii.)  The  adjective  =  foreign,    and     qualifying 

English   would  call   upon    Salisbury  "  march  "  =  martial  music, 

to  rescue   and  defend   them,   where  30.  spot]  stain,  dishonour.     I  must 

"  cry  out  upon"  =  cry  upon.     Com-  withdraw   and   weep    over   this   dis- 

pare  As  You   Like  It,  iv.   iii.    150 :  honour  into  which  I  am  forced. 


sc.  ii]  KING  JOHN  123 

And  follow  unacquainted  colours  here? 
What,  here  ?     O  nation,  that  thou  couldst  remove ! 
That  Neptune's  arms,  who  clippeth  thee  about, 
Would  bear  thee  from  the  knowledge  of  thyself,      35 
And  grapple  thee  unto  a  pagan  shore; 
Where  these  two  Christian  armies  might  combine 
The  blood  of  malice  in  a  vein  of  league, 
And  not  to  spend  it  so  unneighbourly ! 
Lew.  A  noble  temper  dost  thou  show  in  this;  40 

And  great  affections  wrestling  in  thy  bosom 
Doth  make  an  earthquake  of  nobility. 
O,  what  a  noble  combat  hast  thou  fought 
Between  compulsion  and  a  brave  respect! 
Let  me  wipe  off  this  honourable  dew,  45 

That  silverly  doth  progress  on  thy  cheeks : 
My  heart  hath  melted  at  a  lady's  tears, 
Being  an  ordinary  inundation ; 
But  this  effusion  of  such  manly  drops, 
This  shower,  blown  up  by  tempest  of  the  soul,        50 
Startles  mine  eyes,  and  makes  me  more  amazed 
Than  had  I  seen  the  vaulty  top  of  heaven 
Figured  quite  o'er  with  burning  meteors. 

36.  grapple]  Pope  ;  cripple  Ff ;  gripple  Steevens  conj.  ;  couple  Gould  conj. 
43.  thou]  omitted  in  Ff  i,  2,  3. 

34.   clippeth]  embraceth,   as  often  the  distaste  for  this  course  into  which 

in  Shakespeare.  you  are  compelled  by  force  of  circum- 

39.  to  spend]  This  insertion  of  the  stances,  and  a  consideration   of  the 

mark  of  the  infinitive  is  common  in  woes  of  your  country  which  make  you 

the  case  of  the  second  of  two  infini-  bravely   take  this   course.      Hanmer 

tives  following  an  auxiliary  verb.  printed    "  compassion  "    for    "  com- 

42.  Doth]  Attracted  into  the  singu-  pulsion,"    while   Capell   conjectured 

lar    by   the   influence   of    "  bosom."  "  compunction." 

Hanmer   printed  "Do,"  while  Pope  51.  amazed]  See  iv.  ii.  137  and  iv. 

corrected  "affections"  in  the  previous  iii.  1 40  supra.     Here  the  word  more 

line  to  "  affection."  nearly  means  "  astonished." 

44.  Between  .  .  .  respect]  between 


124  KING  JOHN  [act  v. 

Lift  up  thy  brow,  renowned  Salisbury, 

And  with  a  great  heart  heave  away  this  storm  :      55 

Commend  these  waters  to  those  baby  eyes 

That  never  saw  the  giant  world  enraged; 

Nor  met  with  fortune  other  than  at  feasts, 

Full  of  warm  blood,  of  mirth,  of  gossiping. 

Come,  come ;  for  thou  shalt  thrust  thy  hand  as  deep  60 

Into  the  purse  of  rich  prosperity 

As  Lewis  himself:  so,  nobles,  shall  you  all, 

That  knit  your  sinews  to  the  strength  of  mine. 

And  even  there,  methinks,  an  angel  spake : 

Enter  PANDULPH. 

Look,  where  the  holy  legate  comes  apace,  65 

To  give  us  warrant  from  the  hand  of  heaven, 
And  on  our  actions  set  the  name  of  right 
With  holy  breath. 
Pand.  Hail,  noble  prince  of  France ! 

The  next  is  this,  King  John  hath  reconciled 
Himself  to  Rome;  his  spirit  is  come  in,  70 

56.  waters]  F  1 ;  warres  F  2 ;  warrs  F  3  ;  wars  F  4.        59.  Full  of  warm] 
Cambridge  ed.  (Heath  conj.) ;  Full  warm  o/Ff. 

64.  And  even  .  .  .  spake]  The  only  "shapes,"    i.e.  =  shapes    itself,    ap- 

satisfactory  explanation   of  this  line  pears;  Herr  "shakes."     in  the  Two 

is   that  of   the   Cambridge    Editors,  Angry  Women  of  Abingdon  the  last 

who  consider  it  a  contemptuous  aside  part  of  scene   vi.  between   Mistress 

of  Lewis',  with  a  play  upon  the  word  Goursey   and    Coomes    turns    upon 

"angel,"  suggested  by  "purse"  and  exactly  the  same  pun  upon  the  word 

"nobles."     There  is  also  a  reference  "angel." 

to  the  entrance  of  Pandulph.     Even        69.    next]   I   can   find    no   Shake- 

these   explanations  are   not  entirely  spearian  warrant  for  this  peculiar  use 

satisfactory.     The   Folios   place   the  of   "next."     Did   Shakespeare  write 

stage-direction   "Enter  Pandulpho "  "news,"   as    he    did    in    scores    of 

after  line  63.    Hanmer  read  "  speeds  "  similar  situations  ? 
for     "spake";    Vaughan     suggests 


sc.  ii]  KING  JOHN  125 

That  so  stood  out  against  the  holy  church, 
The  great  metropolis  and  see  of  Rome: 
Therefore  thy  threatening  colours  now  wind  up ; 
And  tame  the  savage  spirit  of  wild  war, 
That,  like  a  lion  foster'd  up  at  hand,  75 

It  may  lie  gently  at  the  foot  of  peace, 
And  be  no  further  harmful  than  in  show. 
Lew.  Your  grace  shall  pardon  me,  I  will  not  back : 
I  am  too  high-born  to  be  propertied, 
To  be  a  secondary  at  control,  80 

Or  useful  serving-man  and  instrument 
To  any  sovereign  state  throughout  the  world. 
Your  breath  first  kindled  the  dead  coal  of  wars 
Between  this  chastised  kingdom  and  myself, 
And  brought  in  matter  that  should  feed  this  fire;  85 
And  now   'tis  far  too  huge  to  be  blown  out 
With  that  same  weak  wind  which  enkindled  it. 
You  taught  me  how  to  know  the  face  of  right, 
Acquainted  me  with  interest  to  this  land, 
Yea,  thrust  this  enterprise  into  my  heart;  90 

And  come  ye  now  to  tell  me  John  hath  made 
His  peace  with  Rome?     What  is  that  peace  to  me? 
I,  by  the  honour  of  my  marriage-bed, 
After  young  Arthur,  claim  this  land  for  mine ; 
And,  now  it  is  half-conquer'd,  must  I  back  95 

Because  that  John  hath  made  his  peace  with  Rome? 

72.  see]  F  4  ;  Seu  Ff  1,  2,  3. 

78,  80.    Your  grace  .  .  .  control]    Night,  iv.  ii.  99:  "They  have  here 
your   grace  must  excuse  me,  but   I    propertied  me." 

will  not  draw  back.     I  am  too  high-         8g.     Acquainted   .    .    .    land]     ac- 
born  to  be  made  a  tool  of,  etc.  quainted  me  with  my  claim  upon  the 

79.  propertied]  Compare   Twelfth    land. 


126  KING  JOHN  [act  v. 

Am  I  Rome's  slave?    What  penny  hath  Rome  borne, 

What  men  provided,  what  munition  sent, 

To  underprop  this  action?     Is't  not  I 

That  undergo  this  charge?  who  else  but  I,  ioo 

And  such  as  to  my  claim  are  liable 

Sweat  in  this  business  and  maintain  this  war? 

Have  I  not  heard  these  islanders  shout  out 

"Vive  le  roi!"  as  I  have  bank'd  their  towns? 

Have  I  not  here  the  best  cards  for  the  game,       105 

To  win  this  easy  match  play'd  for  a  crown? 

And  shall  I  now  give  o'er  the  yielded  set? 

No,  no,  on  my  soul,  it  never  shall  be  said. 

Pand.  You  look  but  on  the  outside  of  this  work. 

Lew.  Outside  or  inside,  I  will  not  return  no 

Till  my  attempt  so  much  be  glorified 
As  to  my  ample  hope  was  promised 
Before  I  drew  this  gallant  head  of  war, 
And  cull'd  these  fiery  spirits  from  the  world, 
To  outlook  conquest  and  to  win  renown  115 

108.  No,  no,]  No,  Pope. 

101.  stick  .  .  .  liable]  such  as  are  some  Raigne  refers  to  sailing  up  the 

willing  to  admit  my  claim.     Compare  Thames.     Vaughan  takes  "  bank'd  " 

11.  i.  490,  iv.  ii.   226  supra.  to    mean    "  set  up    banks  around." 

104.  "  Vive  le  roi  I  "]  Shakespeare  Gould    conjectured    "  pass'd."      We 

gives  this  phrase  four  syllables,  in  the  might  suggest  "  hail'd." 

ultra-correct  French  manner — Vi-ve  107.  set]  A  term  generally  applied 

le  roi.  to  the  winning  number  of  games  in 

104.  bank'd]  "  formed  on  the  ana-  any  kind  of  match.     Here,  of  course, 

logy   of   '  coasted '  "   I  Mr.    Wright),  cards  are  referred  to.     Cotgrave  has 

and    meaning    "sailed    along    their  "  Par tie :  ...   a   match,   or   set,   at 

banks."      I  know  of  no  similar  use  game."     Compare  Titus  Andronicus, 

in  Elizabethan  English ;  I  am  inclined  v.  i.  100 :   "  As  sure  a  card  as  ever 

to  suspect  the  text,  the  more  so  be-  won  a  set." 

cause  it  does  not  seem  likely  that  the  in.  glorified]  Compare  iv.  iii.  71 

French  went  to  attack  many  towns  supra. 

by  sailing  up  rivers,  although  the  cor-  115.  To  outlook  conquest]  to  defy 

responding  passage  of  the  Trouble-  conquest. 


sc.  ii  ]  KING  JOHN  127 

Even  in  the  jaws  of  danger  and  of  death. 

[Trumpet  sounds. 
What  lusty  trumpet  thus  doth  summon  us? 

Enter  the  BASTARD,  attended. 

Bast.  According  to  the  fair-play  of  the  world, 
Let  me  have  audience ;  I  am  sent  to  speak, 
My  holy  lord  of  Milan,  from  the  king :  1 20 

I  come  to  learn  how  you  have  dealt  for  him  ; 
And,  as  you  answer,  I  do  know  the  scope 
And  warrant  limited  unto  my  tongue. 

Pand.  The  Dauphin  is  too  wilful-opposite, 

And  will  not  temporize  with  my  entreaties;  125 

He  flatly  says  he'll  not  lay  down  his  arms. 

Bast.  By  all  the  blood  that  ever  fury  breathed, 

The  youth  says  well.     Now  hear  our  English  king; 

For  thus  his  royalty  doth  speak  in  me. 

He  is  prepared,  and  reason  too  he  should:  130 

This  apish  and  unmannerly  approach, 

This  harness'd  masque  and  unadvised  revel, 

This  unhair'd  sauciness  and  boyish  troops, 

124.  wilful-opposite]  Theobald  ;  wilful  opposite  F  1 ;  wilfull  opposite  Ff  2, 
3  ;  wilful,  opposite  F  4.  125.  entreaties  ;]  entreates.  S.  Walker  conj. 

119-121.   speak,  .  .  .  king:  I  come]  tionof  "un-heard"  of F  i,  "  unheard" 

I  have  here  altered  the  generally  ac-  of  Ff  2-4.     As   Mr.   Wright   points 

cepted  punctuation,  keeping  it  nearer  out,  this  is  supported  by  the  spell- 

the  Folios,  which  have  "  speak  :  .  .  .  ing    of    "haires"   as    "  heares "    in 

king    I    come".      Theobald    reads  the  Faerie  Queene,  11.   ix.   13.     The 

"  speak,  ...  King :  I  come,".     There  meaning     "unbearded"     (Keightley 

is  no  need  of  compunction  in  altering  conjectured   "unbeard")   is    obvious 

the  stopping  of  the  Folios,  and  Theo-  when     taken     in     connection    with 

bald's  comma  after  "  come,"  which  is  "  boyish  troops."    For  "  unhair'd  .  .  . 

the  only  difference  between  his  read-  and"   the    Collier   MS.  reads    "  un- 

ing  and  mine,  seems  to  me  unneces-  heard  .  . .  of."  Collier's  second  edition 

sary.  gives  "  unhair'd  . . .  of"  ;  while  Vaug- 

133.  unhair'd]  Theobald's  emenda-  han  conjectures  "  unfear'd  .  .  .  in." 


128  KING  JOHN  [act  v. 

The  king  doth  smile  at;  and  is  well  prepared 

To  whip  this  dwarfish  war,  these  pigmy  arms,       135 

From  out  the  circle  of  his  territories. 

That  hand  which  had  the  strength,  even  at  your  door, 

To  cudgel  you  and  make  you  take  the  hatch, 

To  dive  like  buckets  in  concealed  wells, 

To  crouch  in  litter  of  your  stable  planks,  140 

To  lie  like  pawns  lock'd  up  in  chests  and  trunks, 

To  hug  with  swine,  to  seek  sweet  safety  out 

In  vaults  and  prisons,  and  to  thrill  and  shake 

Even  at  the  crying  of  your  nation's  crow, 

Thinking  his  voice  an  armed  Englishman ;  145 

Shall  that  victorious  hand  be  feebled  here, 

That  in  your  chambers  gave  you  chastisement? 

No:  know  the  gallant  monarch  is  in  arms 

And  like  an  eagle  o'er  his  aery  towers, 

To  souse  annoyance  that  comes  near  his  nest.        150 

145.  his]  Rowe ;  this  Ff.  148.  No :   know]  No,  no,   Lettsom  conj. 

149.  towers]  tower  F  4.  150.  souse]  F  4  ;  sowsse  Ff  1,  2,  3. 

J35-  these  pigmy  arms]  Rowe'sread-  p.  251),  a  reference  to   the   flight  of 

ing.     The   Folios    have   this  pigmy  ravens  which  was  said  to  have  struck 

Armes,    defended    by    Mr.     Moore-  terror    into  the    French   before    the 

Smith,  who  treats  "  pigmy  arms  "  as  battle  of  Poitiers.     There  are  many 

singular.     Vaughan   suggests   "  this  needless  emendations  of  the  passage, 

pigmy  swarm."  149.  And  like  an  eagle,  etc.]  soars 

138.  take  the  hatch]  leap  over  the  high  above  his  young  ones  to  swoop 

lower  half  of  the  door  without  wait-  down    upon     anything    that    comes 

ing  to  open  it.     Compare  King  Lear,  near  to  annoy  his  nest.  "Aery  "really 

in.  vi.  76 :  "  Dogs  leap  the  hatch  and  means  nest,  but  Shakespeare  uses  it 

all  are  fled  "  ;  and  see  1.  i.  171  supra,  for     the    young    brood.       Compare 

141.  pawns]  things  that  are  lying  Richard  III.  1.  iii.  270 :  "  Your  aery 

in  pawn.  buildeth   in  our  aery's  nest."      "  To 

144.    your    nation's     crow]    The  tower  "  is  to  soar  into  a  position  for 

obvious    reference    is    to    the    cock  striking.      Compare  Lucrece,  506 : — 

(gallus) ;    there    is    a    contemptuous  "  Which,  like  a  falcon  towering  in 

side  reference  and  play  upon  words  the  skies, 

in  calling  it  a  crow,  and  there  may  Coucheth  the  fowl  below." 

be,  as  Dr.  Nicholson  pointed  out  in  150.  souse]  to  swoop  down  upon  ; 

Notes  and  Queries  (Series  iii.  No.  xi.  like   "  towering,"  another  term  from 


sc.  ii]  KING  JOHN  129 

And  you  degenerate,  you  ingrate  revolts, 

You  bloody  Neroes,  ripping  up  the  womb 

Of  your  dear  mother  England,  blush  for  shame  ; 

For  your  own  ladies  and  pale-visaged  maids 

Like  Amazons  come  tripping  after  drums,  155 

Their  thimbles  into  armed  gauntlets  change, 

Their  needles  to  lances,  and  their  gentle  hearts 

To  fierce  and  bloody  inclination. 

Lew.  There  end  thy  brave,  and  turn  thy  face  in  peace; 
We  grant  thou  canst  outscold  us :  fare  thee  well ;  1 60 
We  hold  our  time  too  precious  to  be  spent 
With  such  a  brabbler. 

Pand.  Give  me  leave  to  speak. 

Bast.  No,  I  will  speak. 

Lew.  We  will  attend  to  neither. 

Strike  up  the  drums ;  and  let  the  tongue  of  war 
Plead  for  our  interest  and  our  being  here.  165 

Bast.  Indeed,  your  drums,  being  beaten,  will  cry  out ; 
And  so  shall  you,  being  beaten :  do  but  start 

156.  change]  changed  Dyce  (Lettsom  conj.  and  Collier  MS.). 

falconry.      Compare   Ford's  Fancies  "needles."    Steevens  (1778)  gives  the 

Chaste  and  Noble,  iii.  2:  "And  (I)  old  form,  "neelds." 

therefore    mean    to   give  the   sowse  159.     brave]  thy    braving    of   us, 

whenever  I  find  the  game  on  wing."  bravado.     So  Taming  of  the  Shrew, 

152,  153.  You  bloody  Neroes,  etc.]  in.  i.  15  :  "  Sirrah,   I   will   not   bear 

Nothing  was  too  awful  to  be  believed  these  braves  of  thine." 

of   Nero.      This     special    piece    of  162.      brabbler]     prater,     babbler 

atrocity  is  to  be  found  in  full  in  Hig-  (Rowe  read   "  babler  ").     So  Troilus 

den's  Polychronicon  (Rolls  Series,  iv.  and  Cressida,   v.   i.   99 :    "  He  will 

395) ;    it  is  also  referred   to   in   the  spend  his  mouth   and  promise,  like 

Troublesome  Raigne,  p.  34,  line  389,  Brabbler  the  hound."     Cotgrave  has 

and  again  by  Shakespeare  in  Hamlet,  "  Breteleur :  a  brabler,  chider,  brawler 

in.  ii.  412.  or    wrangler :    a    litigious    or    vain 

154.  maids]  daughters.  talker."       Cotgrave's     gloss     shows 

157.  Their  needles]   Pope   omitted  clearly  that  Shakespeare  had  chosen 
"  Their " ;      Folios    1    and     2     read  the  word, — a  word,   however,   quite 
"  needl's,"    evidently    indicating  the  common  in  Elizabethan  English, 
pronunciation ;    Folios  3  and  4  read 


180  KING  JOHN  [act  r. 

An  echo  with  the  clamour  of  thy  drum, 
And  even  at  hand  a  drum  is  ready  braced 
That  shall  reverberate  all  as  loud  as  thine ;  170 

Sound  but  another,  and  another  shall 
As  loud  as  thine  rattle  the  welkin's  ear 
And  mock  the  deep-mouth'd  thunder:  for  at  hand, 
Not  trusting  to  this  halting  legate  here, 
Whom  he  hath  used  rather  for  sport  than  need,    175 
Is  warlike  John ;  and  in  his  forehead  sits 
A  bare-ribb'd  death,  whose  office  is  this  day 
To  feast  upon  whole  thousands  of  the  French. 
Lew.  Strike  up  your  drums,  to  find  this  danger  out 
Bast.  And  thou  shalt  find  it,  Dauphin,  do  not  doubt.   180 

[Exeunt. 

SCENE  III.— The  field  of  battle. 

Alarums.    Enter  King  John  and  Hubert. 

K.  John.  How  goes  the  day  with  us  ?     O,  tell  me,  Hubert. 
Hub.  Badly,  I  fear.     How  fares  your  majesty? 
K.  John.  This  fever,  that  hath  troubled  me  so  long, 
Lies  heavy  on  me ;  O,  my  heart  is  sick ! 

Enter  a  Messenger. 
Mess.  My  lord,  your  valiant  kinsman,  Faulcon bridge,        5 
Desires  your  majesty  to  leave  the  field 
And  send  him  word  by  me  which  way  you  go. 

170.  all  as]  Pope  ;  all,  as  Ff. 

169.  ready  braced]  ready  tightened  Compare  J  Henry  VI.  11.  iv.  12  :  "  Be- 
up  for  playing.  The  leathern  sliding  tween  two  dogs  which  hath  the 
loops  which  are  used  for  tightening  deeper  mouth." 

the  membranes  of  military  or   side-  177.  A  bare-ribb'd  death]  Compare 

drums  are  called  "  braces."  this    image  with   that   used   by  the 

173.   deep-mouth'd]    deep -voiced.  Bastard  in  11.  i.  352. 


sc.  iv]  KING  JOHN  131 

K.  John.    Tell   him,  toward   Swinstead,    to   the  abbey 
there. 

Mess.  Be  of  good  comfort;  for  the  great  supply- 
That  was  expected  by  the  Dauphin  here,  10 
Are  wrack'd  three  nights  ago  on  Goodwin  Sands. 
This  news  was  brought  to  Richard  but  even  now: 
The  French  fight  coldly,  and  retire  themselves. 

K.  John.  Ay  me !  this  tyrant  fever  burns  me  up, 

And  will  not  let  me  welcome  this  good  news.  15 

Set  on  toward  Swinstead :  to  my  litter  straight ; 
Weakness  possesseth  me,  and  I  am  faint.       [Exeunt. 

SCENE  IV.— Another  part  of  the  field. 

Enter  SALISBURY,   PEMBROKE,  and  BlGOT. 

Sal.  I  did  not  think  the  king  so  stored  with  friends. 
Pent.  Up  once  again ;    put  spirit  in  the  French : 

If  they  miscarry,  we  miscarry  too. 
Sal.  That  misbegotten  devil,  Faulconbridge, 

In  spite  of  spite,  alone  upholds  the  day.  5 

Pern.    They   say   King  John   sore   sick   hath   left   the 
field. 

14.  Ay  me]  Aye  me  Ff ;  Ah  me  Pope. 

Scene  IV. 

2,  3.    French  :  .  .  .  miscarry,]  Rowe ;  French,  .  .  .  miscarry,   Ff   3,  4 ; 
French,  .  .  .  miscarry;  Ff  i,  2. 

11.  Are]  Capell  printed  Was  and  Scene  iv. 

Lettsom   supposes  a   lost   line ;  but 

"supply"  here  is  treated  as  plural,        5.  In  spite  of  spite]  against  all  odds, 
as  again  in  v.  v.  12  infra.  Compare  3  Henry  VI.  11.  iii.  5  :  "  And 

spite  of  spite  needs  must  I  rest  awhile." 


132  KING  JOHN  [act  v. 

Enter  MELUN,  wounded. 

Mel.  Lead  me  to  the  revolts  of  England  here. 

Sal.  When  we  were  happy  we  had  other  names. 

Pern.  It  is  the  Count  Melun. 

Sal.  Wounded  to  death. 

Mel.  Fly,  noble  English,  you  are  bought  and  sold ;        10 
Unthread  the  rude  eye  of  rebellion 
And  welcome  home  again  discarded  faith. 
Seek  out  King  John  and  fall  before  his  feet ; 
For  if  the  French  be  lords  of  this  loud  day, 
He  means  to  recompense  the  pains  you  take  15 

By  cutting  off  your  heads :    thus  hath  he  sworn 
And  I  with  him,  and  many  moe  with  me, 
Upon  the  altar  at  Saint  Edmundsbury; 
Even  on  that  altar  where  we  swore  to  you 
Dear  amity  and  everlasting  love.  20 

Sal.  May  this  be  possible?   may  this  be  true? 

Mel.  Have  I  not  hideous  death  within  my  view, 
Retaining  but  a  quantity  of  life, 

7.  revolts]  the  revolted  nobles,  as  its  correctness  is  proved  by  the  next 

in  v.  ii.  151  supra.  lines.     We  must    therefore    suspect 

11.    Unthread  .  .  .  rebellion]   Mr.  line  14.     Mr.  Wright  suggests  that 

Wright  has  conclusively  proved  in  "  French  "  is  singular,  as  in  Henry  V. 

the    Clarendon     Press    edition    that  iv.  iv.  80 :  "  The  French  might  have 

the  long  series  of  emendations  sue-  a   good   prey  of  us  if  he   knew  it" 

ceeding  Theobald's  rejection  of  the  This  necessitates  reading  '*  lord  "  for 

Folios'   reading  as  too   homely  are  "  lords,"   and,  unless  we  accept  the 

quite  unnecessary.    Compare  Richard  conjecture    made    independently   by 

//.  v.  v.  17 : —  Sidney  Walker  and  Keightley  that  a 

"It  is  as  hard   to  come  as   for  a  line  has  been  lost  between  14  and  15.it 

camel  seems  the  only  way  out  of  the  difficulty. 

To  thread  the  postern  of  a  small  17.    moe]  Anglo-Saxon   ma.     This 

needle's  eye  "  ;  form  often  occurs  in  place  of  "  more." 

and   Coriolanus,  m.   i.    124:  "They  23.   quantity]    small   portion.      So 

would  not  thread  the  gates."  Taming  0/ the  Shrew,  iv.  iii.    112: 

14,  15.    For  if   the  French,   etc.]  "  Thou  rag,  thou  quantity,  thou  rem- 

"  He "  comes  in   too  abruptly,  but  nant." 


sc.  iv.]  KING  JOHN  133 

Which  bleeds  away,  even  as  a  form  of  wax 

Resolveth  from  his  figure  'gainst  the  fire?  25 

What  in  the  world  should  make  me  now  deceive, 

Since  I  must  lose  the  use  of  all  deceit? 

Why  should  I  then  be  false,  since  it  is  true 

That  I  must  die  here  and  live  hence  by  truth? 

I  say  again,  if  Lewis  do  win  the  day,  30 

He  is  forsworn  if  e'er  those  eyes  of  yours 

Behold  another  day  break  in  the  east: 

But  even  this  night,  whose  black  contagious  breath 

Already  smokes  about  the  burning  crest 

Of  the  old,  feeble  and  day-wearied  sun,  35 

Even  this  ill  night,  your  breathing  shall  expire, 

Paying  the  fine  of  rated  treachery 

Even  with  a  treacherous  fine  of  all  your  lives, 

If  Lewis  by  your  assistance  win  the  day. 

Commend  me  to  one  Hubert  with  your  king:  40 

The  love  of  him,  and  this  respect  besides, 

For  that  my  grandsire  was  an  Englishman, 

Awakes  my  conscience  to  confess  all  this. 

In  lieu  whereof,  I  pray  you,  bear  me  hence 

From  forth  the  noise  and  rumour  of  the  field,        45 

30.  do]  omitted  by  Pope.        31.  forsworn]  I  omit  the  comma  of  the  Folios. 
42.  (For  .  .  .  Englishman.)]  Ff. 

24,25.  even  as  a  form  of  wax,  etc.]  34.    crest]    The    anonymous    sug- 

It  seems  to  have  been  a  common  prac-  gestion  of  "cresset  "is  most  tempt- 

tice  to  place  waxen  images  of  enemies  ing. 

before  a  fire  in  the  belief  that  as  the  37.  rated]  properly  appreciated   or 

wax  melted  the   person  represented  recompensed. 

wasted    away.      Hence    the    simile,  37,  38.  fine  .  .  .  fine]  A  play  upon 

although    not    directly  referring    to  the    meanings    of    "penalty"    and 

the   above   practice,  would  be  more  "end."     Compare  Hamlet,  v.  i.  115: 

familiar  to  an  Elizabethan  audience  "  Is  this  thefne  of  his  fines?'1 

than  to  us.  41.    respect]  consideration.     Com- 

25.  Resolveth]  almost  =  dissolveth.  pare  m.  i.  318  supra. 


134  KING  JOHN  [act  v. 

Where  I  may  think  the  remnant  of  my  thoughts 
In  peace,  and  part  this  body  and  my  soul 
With  contemplation  and  devout  desires. 
SaJ.  We  do  believe  thee ;  and  beshrew  my  soul 

But  I  do  love  the  favour  and  the  form  50 

Of  this  most  fair  occasion,  by  the  which 

We  will  untread  the  steps  of  damned  flight, 

And  like  a  bated  and  retired  flood, 

Leaving  our  rankness  and  irregular  course, 

Stoop  low  within  those  bounds  we  have  o'erlook'd,  55 

And  calmly  run  on  in  obedience 

Even  to  our  ocean,  to  our  great  King  John. 

My  arm  shall  give  thee  help  to  bear  thee  hence ; 

For  I  do  see  the  cruel  pangs  of  death 

Right  in  thine  eye.      Away,   my   friends !     New 

flight ;  60 

And  happy  newness,  that  intends  old  right. 

[Exeunt,  leading  off  Melun. 

53.  retired]  retiring  Hanmer.  59.  pangs]  fangs  Heath. 

49.  beshrew]  "  a  mild  form  of  im-  the   reading  of   the    Folios,  and  so 

precation "      (Dyce-Littledale).       So  would  Schmidt.     Still  it  has  perhaps 

Twelfth  Night,  iv.  i.  62:  "Beshrew  a  sufficiently  suspicious  look  to  justify 

his  soul  for  me "  ;  and  see  v.  v.    14  the    various    emendations  and   sug- 

infra.  gestions — "  Right     in     thine    eyes," 

54.  rankness]  Capell  conjectures  Pope ;  "  Pight  in  thine  eyes,"  Han- 
"bankless";  but  "rankness"'  in  the  mer ;  ■  Pight  in  thine  eye,"  Warbur- 
sense  of  immoderate  growth  or  ton ;  "  Fight  in  thine  eye,"  Capell ; 
pressing  beyond  bounds  is  supported  "  Bright  in  thine  eye,"  Collier,  ed.  2 
by  many  passages  in  the  other  plays,  (Collier  MS.) ;  "  Fright  in  thine  eye," 
and  this  special  use  is  found  in  Venus  Anon.  (ap.  Collier  conj.) ;  "  Riot  in 
and  Adonis,  71 :  "  Rain  added  to  a  thine  eye,"  Brae  (conj.) ;  "  Writhing 
river  that  is  rank.""  Compare  also  thine  eye,"  Elze  (conj.  Athen.  1867); 
E.E.  Psalter  (1300):  "He  turned  "  Light  on  thine  eye,"  Moberly(conj.). 
into  blood  the  stremes  ranke."  60.  New  flight]  Pope,  in  defiance 

55.  we  have  o'erlook'd]  Compare  of  the  final  couplet,  read  "  And  fly  I  " 
Hamlet,  iv.  v.  99  :  "  The  ocean,  over-  and  omitted  the  next  line. 

peering  of  his  list."  61.  And   happy  newness  .  .  .  right] 

60.  Right  in  thine  eye]  Vaughan,  happy  be  the  new  course  which  we 

withdrawing       his      conjecture      of  take  to  establish   the   right  we  had 

"  Brighten  thine  eye,"  would  retain  forsaken. 


sc.  v.]  KING  JOHN  135 

SCENE  V. —  The  French  camp. 

Enter  LEWIS  and  his  train. 

Lew.  The  sun  of  heaven  methought  was  loath  to  set, 
But  stay'd  and  made  the  western  welkin  blush, 
When  English  measure  backward  their  own  ground 
In  faint  retire.     O,  bravely  came  we  off, 
When  with  a  volley  of  our  needless  shot,  5 

After  such  bloody  toil,  we  bid  good-night ; 
And  wound  our  tottering  colours  clearly  up, 
Last  in  the  field,  and  almost  lords  of  it ! 

Enter  a  Messenger. 

Mess.  Where  is  my  prince,  the  Dauphin? 

Lew.  Here:  what  news? 

Mess.  The  Count  Melun  is  slain ;  the  English  lords        10 

3.  When  English  measure]  Pope  ofter  spelt  "  totter "  in  Shakespeare's 
read  "th'  English  measur'd."  But  time.  Fleay  also  points  out  that 
the  sudden  change  of  tense  is  not  "  totter  "  was  used  for  swinging  in  the 
without  warrant  elsewhere.  Mr.  air — e.g.  Spanish  Tragedy,  in.  xii. 
Wright  quotes  The  Winter's  Tale,  v.  152:  "behold  a  man  hanging  and 
ii.  83  :  "  She  lifted  the  princess  from  tottering,  and  tottering  as  you  know 
the  earth,  and  so  locks  her  in  embrac-  the  wind  will  wave  a  man."  "  Totter- 
ing as  if  she  would  pin  her  to  her  ing  "  here  may  mean  waving  in  the 
heart."   We  might  conceivably  under-  breeze. 

stand  some  such  elliptical  construction        7.    clearly]      Capell      conjectured 

as  "  When  the  English  (should  so  for-  "  chearly,"  the  Collier  MS.  "  closely," 

get  themselves  as  to)  measure,"  etc.  an  utterly   un-Shakespearian  use  of 

4.  retire]  Compare  11.  i.  253,  326  the  word.  The  Cambridge  Editors 
supra.  suggest  "  cleanly,"  as  "  equivalent  to 

5.  a  volley  of  our  needless  shot]  =  '  neatly '"  and  "  antithetical  to '  totter- 
a  needless  volley  of  our  shot.  For  ing  '  or  '  tattering.' "  '*  Clean  "  or 
this  transference  of  adj.  compare  "cleanly"  in  the  sense  of  "com- 
"  bleeding  ground,"  11.  i.  304  supra,  pletely  "  is  an  English  idiom  traceable 

7.  tottering]  The  Folios  have  "  tott'r-  as  far  back  as  Alfred  the  Great — 
ing,"  Pope"  tatter'd,"Malone"  tatter-  "  Swae  claenehiowas  opfeallenu,"  so 
ing,"  Collier  MS.  "totter'd."  Mr.  completely  had  it  fallen  away  (Preface 
Wright  explains  it  as  flying  in  tatters,  to  Alfred's  version  of  the  Cura  Pas- 
It  is  quite  certain  that  "tatter"  was  toralis). 


18G  KING  JOHN  [act  v. 

By  his  persuasion  are  again  fall'n  off, 

And  your  supply,  which  you  have  wish'd  so  long, 

Are  cast  away  and  sunk  on  Goodwin  Sands. 

Lew.  Ah,  foul  shrewd  news !  beshrew  thy  very  heart ! 

I  did  not  think  to  be  so  sad  to-night  15 

As  this  hath  made  me.     Who  was  he  that  said 
King  John  did  fly  an  hour  or  two  before 
The  stumbling  night  did  part  our  weary  powers? 

Mess,  Whoever  spoke  it,  it  is  true,  my  lord. 

Lew.  Well ;  keep  good  quarter  and  good  care  to-night :  20 
The  day  shall  not  be  up  so  soon  as  I, 
To  try  the  fair  adventure  of  to-morrow.  {Exeunt. 

SCENE  VI. — An  open  place  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Swinstead  Abbey. 

Enter  the  BASTARD  and  HUBERT,  severally. 

Hub.  Who's  there?  speak,  ho!  speak  quickly,  or  I  shoot. 

Bast.  A  friend.     What  art  thou? 

Hub.  Of  the  part  of  England. 

11.  again]  F  1 ;  at  length  Ff  2,  3,  4. 

12.  supply]  taken  as  plural.  Com-  perly  posted.  Scene  iii.  in  Act  iv.  of 
pare  v.  iii.  g-n  supra.  Capell  read  Antony  and  Cleopatra  explains  this 
"supplies  "  for  the  same  reason  as  he  phrase,  and  in  line  22,  "  Follow  the 
printed  "  was"  in  v.  iii.  11.  noise   so    far   as  we  have  quarter," 

14.     shrewd]      originally      meant  evidently  means  "  Follow  the  noise 

"  cursed  "  =  Mid.    Eng.  schretved,  p.  to  the  limit  of  the  post  v/e  have  to 

part,   of  schreawen,   to  curse.     The  guard." 
play  upon  the  words  "shrewd"  and 

"  beshrew  "  is  now  evident.    For  "  be-  Scene  vi. 
shrew"  compare  line  49  in  the  last 

scene ;  for  the  Elizabethan  meaning,  2-6.    A  friend    .    .    .    Hubert,    I 

compare  Cotgrave,  "  Mai :   ill,   bad,  think]   Few   critics  have   been   con- 

naughtie,     lewd,     .    .     .     harmefull,  tent  with  the  arrangement  of  these 

shrewd."  lines,  Hubert's  expostulation  (lines  4, 

20.  keep  good  quarter]  Keep  careful  5)  "why  .  .  .  mine?"  being  mean- 
watch,  see  that  the  sentries  are  pro-  ingless.      Vaughan's    suggestion    is 


ac.  vi.]  KING  JOHN  137 

Bast.  Whither  dost  thou  go? 

Hub.  What's  that  to  thee?  why  may  not  I  demand 

Of  thine  affairs,  as  well  as  thou  of  mine?  5 

Bast.  Hubert,  I  think. 
Hub.  Thou  hast  a  perfect  thought: 

I  will  upon  all  hazards  well  believe 

Thou  art  my  friend,  that  know'st  my  tongue  so  well. 

Who  art  thou? 
Bast.  Who  thou  wilt:   and  if  thou  please, 

Thou  mayst  befriend  me  so  much  as  to  think         10 

I  come  one  way  of  the  Plantagenets. 
Hub.  Unkind  remembrance !   thou  and  eyeless  night 

Have  done  me  shame:  brave  soldier,  pardon  me, 

That  any  accent  breaking  from  thy  tongue 

Should  'scape  the  true  acquaintance  of  mine  ear.     15 
Bast.  Come,  come;    sans  compliment,  what  news  abroad? 

3-6.  Whither  .  .  .  thought]  Arranged  by  Capell ;  six  lines  in  Ff  ending 
go  ?  .  .  .  thee  ?  .  .  .  affaires.  .  .  .  mine  ?  .  .  .  thinke  .  .  .  thought : 

perhaps  the  most  ingenious  and  most  V.  in.  i.  88  :  "  King  Richard  might 

plausible  :  "  Hub.    Of   the    part    of  create  a  perfect  guess." 

England.     Whither   dost    thou   go?  11.  one  way]  by  one  line  of  descent. 

Bast.  What  is  that  to  thee?     Hub.  12.  Unkind  remembrance]  i.e.  really 

What's  that  to  thee. — Why  may,"  "unkind    want    of    remembrance." 

etc.     This  different  apportioning  of  Hubert  reproaches  his   memory  for 

the  speeches   and    insertion   of   the  failing  him. 

repeated  half  line,  at  once  straightens  12.  eyeless]  The  Folios  read  "  end- 
out  the  sense  and  corrects  the  metre,  less  "  (with  variations  of  spelling),  for 
Watkiss  Lloyd  distributes  the  which  Theobald  reads  "  eyeless,"  a 
speeches  as  follows  :  "  Bast.  A  friend,  reading  suggested  by  Warburton. 
Hub.  What  art  thou  ?  Bast.  Of  the  Daniel  conjectured  "cand'less" — a 
part  of  England.  Whither  dost  thou  hideous  word.  Is  there  a  remini- 
go  ?  Hub.  What  is  that  to  thee  ?  scence  on  anyone's  part  (Shake- 
Bast.  Why  .  .  .  mine  ?  Hubert,  I  speare,  copyist,  or  printer)  of  the 
think."  This  suggestion  would  be  "endless  night"  of  Gaunt's  speech 
convincing  were  it  not  for  "  Hubert,  in  Richard  II.  1.  iii.  22  ? 
I  think  "  being  tacked  on  unnaturally  16.  sans]  Shakespeare  was  very 
to  the  Bastard's  speech.  fond  of  this  French  form  of"  without." 
6.  Thou  .  .  .  thought]  You  have  It  is  also  used  by  the  anonymous 
guessed  exactly  right.     So  2  Henry  writer  of  the  Troublesome  Raigne. 


138  KING  JOHN  [act  v. 

Hub.  Why,  here  walk  I  in  the  black  brow  of  night, 

To  find  you  out. 
Bast.  Brief,  then  ;   and  what 's  the  news  ? 

Hub.  O,  my  sweet  sir,  news  fitting  to  the  night, 

Black,  fearful,  comfortless  and  horrible.  20 

Bast.  Show  me  the  very  wound  of  this  ill  news : 

I  am  no  woman,  I  '11  not  swoon  at  it 
Hub.  The  king,  I  fear,  is  poison 'd  by  a  monk: 

I  left  him  almost  speechless;  and  broke  out 

To  acquaint  you  with  this  evil,  that  you  might       25 

The  better  arm  you  to  the  sudden  time, 

Than  if  you  had  at  leisure  known  of  this. 
Bast.  How  did  he  take  it?   who  did  taste  to  him? 
Hub.  A  monk,  I  tell  you ;   a  resolved  villain, 

Whose  bowels  suddenly  burst  out:   the  king  30 

Yet  speaks  and  peradventure  may  recover. 
Bast.  Who  didst  thou  leave  to  tend  his  majesty? 
Hub.  Why,  know  you  not?  the  lords  are  all  come  back, 

And  brought  Prince  Henry  in  their  company ; 

At  whose  request  the  king  hath  pardon 'd  them,      35 

And  they  are  all  about  his  majesty. 
Bast.  Withhold  thine  indignation,  mighty  heaven, 

And  tempt  us  not  to  bear  above  our  power! 

22.  swoon]  F  4  ;  swound  Ff  i,  2,  3.         33.  not?]  Ff ;  not,  Malone  conj. 

24-27.  and  broke  out  .  .  .  known  of  The  monk    had   willingly   sacrificed 

this]   I   made  my  escape   (from   the  his  life  in  performing  this  duty,  thus 

Abbey)   to  tell  you    this  evil    news  making  sure  of  the  death  of  the  king, 

that  you  might  prepare  yourself  better  32.      Who]     Hanmer     corrects    to 

for  the  emergency   than  you   could  Whom.     So   Henry  V.  iv.   vii.  154 : 

have  done  had  you  heard  in  a  more  "  Who  servest  thou   under  ?  "     This 

leisurely  manner.  form  for  the  accusative  of  the  inter- 

28.  who  did  taste  to  him]  It  was  rogative    is    not    infrequent    in    lax 

the  duty  of  a   "taster"  to  eat  part  English. 

of   every   dish   set  before    the   king  38.  And  tempt  .  .  .  power]  do  not 

with  the  object  of  detecting  poison,  try  us  beyond  our  power. 


sc.  vii]  KING  JOHN  139 

I  '11*  tell  thee,  Hubert,  half  my  power  this  night, 

Passing  these  flats,  are  taken  by  the  tide;  40 

These  Lincoln  Washes  have  devoured  them ; 

Myself,  well  mounted,  hardly  have  escaped. 

Away  before :    conduct  me  to  the  king ; 

I  doubt  he  will  be  dead  or  ere  I  come.  [Exeunt. 

SCENE  VII. — The  orchard  at  Swinstead  Abbey. 

Enter  PRINCE  HENRY,  SALISBURY,  and  BlGOT. 

P.  Hen.    It  is  too  late:    the  life  of  all  his  blood 
Is  touch'd  corruptibly,  and  his  pure  brain, 
Which  some  suppose  the  soul's  frail  dwelling-house, 
Doth  by  the  idle  comments  that  it  makes 
Foretell  the  ending  of  mortality.  5 

Enter  PEMBROKE. 

Pern.    His  highness  yet  doth  speak,  and  holds  belief 

That,  being  brought  into  the  open  air, 

It  would  allay  the  burning  quality 

Of  that  fell  poison  which  assaileth  him. 
P.  Hen.   Let  him  be  brought  into  the  orchard  here.      10 

Doth  he  still  rage?  {Exit  Bigot. 

40.    are]    Compare     this    use    of  50,  where  "  defensible  "  in  "  For  we 

"power"    as     plural    with    that    of  no    longer    are    defensible"    means 

"supply"  in  the  same  way  in  v.  iii.  capable  of  making  defence ;  therefore 

9-1 1  and  v.  v.  12  supra.  we  must  take  the  meaning  of  "  cor- 

43.  Away  before]  lead  the  way  on.  ruptibly  "  as  "so   as  to  cause  it  to 

corrupt." 

Scene  vii.  2-    pure]    We    must    understand 
"pure"  as   "naturally,"   "usually," 

2.    corruptibly]  Capell  read  "  cor-  or  "  otherwise  clear."     Grant  White 

ruptedly  "  ;   Rann  conjectured  "  cor-  read    "  poor  "  ;     Vaughan     suggests 

ruptively."     Mr.  Wright   points  out  "hurt,"    but    thinks    "pure"    quite 

that   Shakespeare  uses   adjectives  in  possible;  Herr  conjectures  "sore." 

-ible  actively — e.g.  Henry  V.  m.  iii.  XI.  rage]  rave  deliriously. 


140  KING  JOHN  [act  v. 

Pern.  He  is  more  patient 

Than  when  you  left  him ;   even  now  he  sung. 

P.  Hen.   O  vanity  of  sick  ness !   fierce  extremes 
In  their  continuance  will  not  feel  themselves. 
Death,  having  prey'd  upon  the  outward  parts,        15 
Leaves  them  invisible,  and  his  siege  is  now 
Against  the  mind,  the  which  he  pricks  and  wounds 
With  many  legions  of  strange  fantasies, 
Which,  in  their  throng  and  press  to  that  last  hold, 
Confound  themselves.     Tis  strange  that  death  should 
sing.  20 

I  am  the  cygnet  to  this  pale  faint  swan, 
Who  chants  a  doleful  hymn  to  his  own  death, 
And  from  the  organ-pipe  of  frailty  sings 
His  soul  and  body  to  their  lasting  rest 

Sal.   Be  of  good  comfort,  prince;   for  you  are  born        25 
To  set  a  form  upon  that  indigest 
Which  he  hath  left  so  shapeless  and  so  rude. 

16.  his]  F  1 ;  hir  Ff  2,  4 ;  her  F  3.  17.  mind]  Rowe  (ed.  2) ;  winde 

F  1 ;  wind  Ff  2,  1,  4.  21.  cygnet]  Rowe  (ed.  2) ;  Symet  Ff.  24.  to] 

F  1 ;  omitted  in  Ff  2,  3,  4. 

16.  invisible]   If  we   take   this   to  found  their  skill  in  covetousness,"  iv. 

refer  to  Death,  the  passage  yields  a  ii.  29  supra. 

good  meaning — "Death,  after  prey-  21,22.  I  am  the  cygnet  .  .  .  death] 

ing  upon  the  outward  parts,  leaves  It  was  a  popular  belief  that  the  swa 

them  without  being  seen   and   lays  "  fluted  a  wild  carol  ere  her  death." 

siege  to  the  mind."     There  is  a  large  So   The  Merchant  of  Venice,   in.  ii. 

number    of    unsatisfactory    readings  44 :    "  He   makes    a  swan-like  end, 

and  conjectures.    Fleay  reads  "  leaves  fading  in  music." 

them,    invisible ;     and    his    siege " ;  26.    indigest]    chaotic     confusion, 

this  throws  up  the  necessary  mean-  This  appears  to  be  a  reminiscence  of 

ing   by   the   punctuation   and  seems  Ovid's   "  rudis   indigestaque   moles." 

quite  worth  adopting.  So  3  Henry   VI.  v.  vi.  51  :  "An  in- 

20.    Confound    themselves]    "non-  digested  and  deformed  lump." 
plus"  themselves.     Compare  "con- 


sc.  vii]  KING  JOHN  141 

Enter  Attendants,  and  BlGOT,  carrying  KING  JOHN 
in  a  chair. 

K.  John.   Ay,  marry,  now  my  soul  hath  elbow-room  ; 
It  would  not  out  at  windows  nor  at  doors. 
There  is  so  hot  a  summer  in  my  bosom,  30 

That  all  my  bowels  crumble  up  to  dust : 
I  am  a  scribbled  form,  drawn  with  a  pen 
Upon  a  parchment,  and  against  this  fire 
Do  I  shrink  up. 

P.  Hen.  How  fares  your  majesty? 

K.  John.  Poison'd, — ill  fare — dead,  forsook,  cast  off:       35 
And  none  of  you  will  bid  the  winter  come 
To  thrust  his  icy  fingers  in  my  maw, 
Nor  let  my  kingdom's  rivers  take  their  course 
Through  my  burn'd  bosom,  nor  entreat  the  north 
To  make  his  bleak  winds  kiss  my  parched  lips       40 
And  comfort  me  with  cold.     I  do  not  ask  you  much, 
I  beg  cold  comfort ;  and  you  are  so  strait, 
And  so  ingrateful,  you  deny  me  that. 

P.  Hen.  O  that  there  were  some  virtue  in  my  tears, 
That  might  relieve  you ! 

K.  John.  The  salt  in  them  is  hot.    45 

Within  me  is  a  hell ;  and  there  the  poison 

33>   34-  Upon  .  .  .  up]  one  line   in  Ff.  35.  ill  /are]  ill  fair  F  4. 

43-  ingrateful]  ungrateful  F  4.        45.  in  them]  F  1 ;  of  them  Ff  2,  3,  4. 

35.  ill  fare]  I  fare  ill,  poisoned  by  words  has  a   parallel   in    the  death 

ill    fare.      Mr.    Worrall    points    out  scene  of  Gaunt  in  Richard  II. 

kindred  "  clenches  "  in  Hamlet,  in.  ii.  42.  strait]  niggardly,   mean.     We 

97,  98,  and  Edward  III.  iv.  vi.  53,  54.  have  a  somewhat  similar  use  in  Timon 

37.    maw]   stomach,   generally   of  of  Athens,  1.  i.  96:  "  His  means  most 

animals.     A.S.  maga.  short,    his    creditors    most    strait." 

42.  cold  comfort]  As  Mr.    Wright  The   Folios  have   "straight,"  which 

points  out,  this  death-bed  trifling  with  was  corrected  by  Pope. 


142  KING  JOHN  [act  v. 

Is  as  a  fiend  confined  to  tyrannise 
On  unreprievable  condemned  blood. 

Enter  the  BASTARD. 

Bast.  O,  I  am  scalded  with  my  violent  motion, 

And  spleen  of  speed  to  see  your  majesty  !  50 

K.  John.  O  cousin,  thou  art  come  to  set  mine  eye : 
The  tackle  of  my  heart  is  crack'd  and  burn'd, 
And  all  the  shrouds  wherewith  my  life  should  sail 
Are  turned  to  one  thread,  one  little  hair: 
My  heart  hath  one  poor  string  to  stay  it  by,  55 

Which  holds  but  till  thy  news  be  uttered ; 
And  then  all  this  thou  seest  is  but  a  clod 
And  module  of  confounded  royalty. 

Bast.  The  Dauphin  is  preparing  hitherward, 

Where  heaven  He  knows  how  we  shall  answer  him ;  60 

For  in  a  night  the  best  part  of  my  power, 

As  I  upon  advantage  did  remove, 

Were  in  the  Washes  all  unwarily 

Devoured  by  the  unexpected  flood.      [The  King  dies. 

Sal.  You  breathe  these  dead  news  in  as  dead  an  ear.    65 
My  liege !  my  lord !  but  now  a  king,  now  thus. 

51.  art]  are  F  4. 

48.  On  .  .  .  blood]  on  blood  con-  "  Module :    a    model     or     module." 

demned   beyond  reprieve,   i.e.   John  Compare  A IV  s  Well  that  Ends  Well, 

felt  that  his  death  was  certain.  iv.  iii.  114  :  "  Bring  forth  this  coun- 

50.  spleen  of  speed]  See  11.  i.  448  terfeit     module."     Hanmer     printed 
supra.  "  model." 

51.  to  set  mine   eye]   to   close  my  58.  confounded]  worsted,  destroyed. 
eyes  after  death.  Compare  iv.  ii.  29  and  v.  vii.  20  supra. 

55.  to  stay  it  by]  Keeping  up  the  60.  heaven  He  knows]  The  "he  "is 

nautical   metaphor,  referring   to   the  a  common  pleonasm.     For  heaven  = 

stay  of  a  mast.  God  =  He.    Compare  m.  i.  155  supra. 

58.       module]  m  model,       pattern,  62.     upon    advantage]    seeing     a 

mould,        form.          Cotgrave      has  favourable  opportunity. 


sc.  vii]  KING  JOHN  143 

P.  Hen.  Even  so  must  I  run  on,  and  even  so  stop. 
What  surety  of  the  world,  what  hope,  what  stay, 
When  this  was  now  a  king,  and  now  is  clay? 

Bast.  Art  thou  gone  so?     I  do  but  stay  behind  70 

To  do  the  office  for  thee  of  revenge, 
And  then  my  soul  shall  wait  on  thee  to  heaven, 
As  it  on  earth  hath  been  thy  servant  still. 
Now,  now,  you  stars  that  move  in  your  right  spheres, 
Where    be   your    powers?   show    now    your    mended 
faiths,  75 

And  instantly  return  with  me  again, 
To  push  destruction  and  perpetual  shame 
Out  of  the  weak  door  of  our  fainting  land. 
Straight  let  us  seek,  or  straight  we  shall  be  sought; 
The  Dauphin  rages  at  our  very  heels.  80 

Sal.  It  seems  you  know  not,  then,  so  much  as  we: 
The  Cardinal  Pandulph  is  within  at  rest, 
Who  half  an  hour  since  came  from  the  Dauphin, 
And  brings  from  him  such  offers  of  our  peace 
As  we  with  honour  and  respect  may  take,  85 

With  purpose  presently  to  leave  this  war. 

Bast.  He  will  the  rather  do  it  when  he  sees 
Ourselves  well  sinewed  to  our  defence. 

74.  right]  bright  Pope.        84.  our]  fair  Roderick  conj. 

75.  Where  be  .  .  .  mended  faiths]  legiance  by  marching  with  me  upon 
I  cannot  agree  with  Mr.  Wright's  the  foe  at  once."  Pope  also  misunder- 
note  upon  "mended" — "John's  for-  stood  the  passage,  or  he  could  never 
tune  had  broken  faith  with  him" —  have  read  "bright"  for  "right." 
implying  that  the  Bastard  was  really  86.  presently]  immediately, 
addressing  the  stars.  It  seems  to  me  88.  sinewed]  The  Folios  have 
quite  evident  that  "  Plantagenet"  is  "  sinew'd,"  which  makes  the  line  de- 
talking  to  the  nobles — "  stars  that  fective,  leading  to  Rowe's  reading  of 
now  move  in  your  right  spheres  "  sinewed "  in  the  text,  and  the  sug- 
(which  you  had  left  awhile)  where  are  gestion  of  the  Collier  MS.,  "  sinew'd 
your  men  ?     Show  your  returned  al-  to  our  own." 


144  KING  JOHN  [act  v. 

Sat.  Nay,  it  is  in  a  manner  done  already ; 

For  many  carriages  he  hath  dispatch'd  90 

To  the  sea-side,  and  put  his  cause  and  quarrel 

To  the  disposing  of  the  cardinal : 

With  whom  yourself,  myself  and  other  lords, 

If  you  think  meet,  this  afternoon  will  post 

To  consummate  this  business  happily.  95 

Bast.  Let  it  be  so :  and  you,  my  noble  prince, 

With  other  princes  that  may  best  be  spared, 

Shall  wait  upon  your  father's  funeral. 
P.  Hen.  At  Worcester  must  his  body  be  interr'd  ; 

For  so  he  will'd  it 
Bast.  Thither  shall  it  then:  100 

And  happily  may  your  sweet  self  put  on 

The  lineal  state  and  glory  of  the  land ! 

To  whom,  with  all  submission,  on  my  knee 

I  do  bequeath  my  faithful  services 

And  true  subjection  everlastingly.  105 

Sal.  And  the  like  tender  of  our  love  we  make, 

To  rest  without  a  spot  for  evermore. 
P.  Hen.  I  have  a  kind  soul  that  would  give  you  thanks 

And  knows  not  how  to  do  it  but  with  tears. 

8g.  it  is]  Pope  ;  'tis  Ff.  99.  Worcester]  Ff  3,  4  ;  Worster  Ff  1,  2. 

97.    princes']   Sidney    Walker  sus-  the  dying  king  said  "  To  God  and  St. 

pects  "  princes,"  believing  it  to  be  a  Wulstan    I  commend  my  body  and 

printer's    error,    owing    to    his    eye  soul."     St.  Wulstan  was   Bishop  of 

catching  the  "  prince "  of  the  previous  Worcester,     1062     to     1095-6     (Mr. 

line.      Mr.  Wright    points  out    that  Wright). 

"princes"  is  used  of  the  nobles  in  108.  give  you  thanks]  The   Folios 

line  115,  and  that  a  preferable  change  read  "  give  thanks"  ;  the  reading  in 

would  be  "  prince  "  into  "  king  "  in  the  text  is  Rowe's.     The  Cambridge 

line  96.  Editors       conjecture      "  fain      give 

99,  100.   At  Worcester  .  .  .  will'd  thanks" — a  far  finer  reading. 
it]  According  to  Roger  of  Wendover 


SC.    VII.] 


KING  JOHN 


145 


Bast.  O,  let  us  pay  the  time  but  needful  woe,  1 10 

Since  it  hath  been  beforehand  with  our  griefs. 
This  England  never  did,  nor  never  shall, 
Lie  at  the  proud  foot  of  a  conqueror, 
But  when  it  first  did  help  to  wound  itself. 
Now  these  her  princes  are  come  home  again,         115 
Come  the  three  corners  of  the  world  in  arms, 
And   we  shall   shock   them.     Nought  shall   make  us 

rue, 
If  England  to  itself  do  rest  but  true.  [Exeunt. 


no.  time  but]  Rowe  ;  time :  but  Ff. 

no.  let  us  pay  .  .  .  woe]  let  us 
not  give  way  to  needless  grief. 

115.  princes]  "princes"  evidently 
refers  to  the  nobles  returning  to  their 
allegiance.  The  Cambridge  edition 
prints  Mr.  Lloyd's  suggestion  that 
the  line  is  spurious —  "  A  compliment 


to  Steenie  and  Baby  Charles,  who 
came  back  from  Madrid  in  the  year 
that  the  first  edition  of  King  John 
was  published,  and  thrust  in  by  the 
editors,  or  perhaps  by  the  actors,  in 
place  of  a  line  of  similar  purport, 
but  less  applicable." 


10 


APPENDIX 

King  John,  Act  ill.  sc.  i.  1.  242:  "Play  fast  and 
loose  ..  .  ."  Various  differing  accounts  of  the  "cheat- 
ing game"  known  as  "fast  and  loose"  have  been  given. 
In  the  New  English  Dictionary  we  find  Halliwell  (1847) 
quoted :  "  a  cheating  game  played  with  a  stick  and  a  belt 
or  string  so  arranged  that  a  spectator  would  think  that 
he  could  make  the  latter  fast  by  placing  a  stick  through 
its  intricate  folds,  whereas  the  operator  could  detach  it  at 
once." 

Reginald  Scot  in  his  Discoverie  of  Witchcraft  (1584) 
(Nicholson's  Reprint,  p.  276)  describes  two  sleight-of- 
hand  tricks  which  differ  entirely  from  that  described  by 
Halliwell.  They  consist  in  making  the  looker-on  believe 
that  a  knot  in  a  handkerchief  in  the  one  case,  and  a 
bead  on  a  string  in  the  other,  are  "fast"  when  they  are 
really  "loose." 

Sir  John  Hawkins  (quoted  in  Phin's  Shakespeare 
Cyclopcedia,  p.  112)  speaks  of  the  game  as  follows:  "A 
leathern  belt  was  made  up  into  a  number  of  intricate 
folds  and  placed  edgewise  upon  a  table.  One  of  the  folds 
was  made  to  resemble  the  middle  of  the  girdle,  so  that 
whoever  could  thrust  a  skewer  into  it  would  think  he 
held  it  fast  to  the  table;  whereas  when  he  had  so  done, 
the  person  with  whom  he  plays  may  take  hold  of  both 
ends,    and   draw   it   away."     This   is    also   quoted   in    the 

147 


148  APPENDIX 

Dyce-Littledale  Glossary  sub  voce,  with  the  addition, 
"  This  trick  is  now  known  to  the  common  people  by  the 
name  of  pricking  at  the  belt  or  girdle,  and  perhaps  was 
practised  by  gypsies  in  the  time  of  Shakespeare." 

This    evidently    is    the    kind    of    game  alluded   to  in 
Drayton's  Mooncalf : — 

He  like  a  gypsy  oftentimes  would  go, 
All  kinds  of  gibberish  he  hath  learned  to  know  : 
And  with  a  stick,  a  short  string,  and  a  noose 
Would  show  the  people  tricks  at  fast  and  loose. 

This  game  is  still  played  at  country  fairs  and  on  race- 
courses, and  the  trick  is  worked  as  follows ; — 

A  doubled  belt  is  wound  up  upon  itself  with  the 
middle,  i.e.  the  doubled  end,  in  the  centre.  It  is  then 
laid  edgewise  on  a  flat  surface  and  the  gull  is  asked  to 


thrust  a  skewer  or  a  knife  through  the  central  fold. 
This  in  the  diagram  is  obviously  A.  If  now  the  holder 
of  the  belt  slips  the  end  D  round  into  the  position  D  I, 
and  then  pulls  at  C  and  D  together,  B  becomes  the 
central  fold  and  the  skewer  or  knife  does  not  hold  the 
belt   "fast"   as  the   gull  expects.      If  the  gull  next  time 


APPENDIX  149 

chooses  B  as  the  central  fold,  C  and  D  are  of  course 
pulled  off  at  once  together.  Hence  the  belt  can  be  made 
"fast"  or  "loose"  at  the  will  of  the  player  of  the  game. 
This  trick  was  evidently  well  known  in  Elizabethan 
times,  for  we  find  many  mentions  of  it,  e.g.  Antony 
and  Cleopatra,  IV.  x.  41,  42:  "Like  a  right  gipsy,  hath, 
at  fast  and  loose,  Beguil'd  me " ;  and  the  first  part  of 
Promos  and  Cassandra,  ii.  5 :  "At  fast  and  loose,  my 
gyptian,  I  mean  to  have  a  cast." 


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